Industry experts say this trend highlights the resilience of the country’s manufacturing sector, which has steadily expanded capacity to meet domestic demand for basic commodities. Despite the decline in imports, South Africa remains Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The neighbouring country continues to supply critical machinery, fuel, and other industrial inputs that underpin production in Zimbabwe. For consumers, the improvement in local production has translated into wider availability of domestic products and, in some cases, more affordable prices compared to imported goods. Challenges such as power shortages, high production costs, and limited access to long-term finance continue to weigh heavily on the manufacturing sector.