The latest figures from the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (ZSA) showed the trade deficit for the 11 months to November last year was the equivalent of almost R50 billion, up from R48.7bn in the same period in 2014.
Zimbabwe’s exports totalled R41bn, while imports hit over R90bn.
The ZSA forecast for 2016 is a rise to R60.7bn, while imports are expected to be R101.7bn – resulting in a R41bn deficit.
This, said the state-owned newspaper, The Herald, is exacerbated by non-essential imports – reporting that, for example, Zimbabweans spent R114.8 million on chocolate imports last year.
