Source: Govt reviews minimum wages for horticulture sector – herald
Edgar Vhera
Specialist Writer-Agribusiness
The Government has slightly reviewed the minimum wages and allowances for the horticulture sub-sector with effect from May 1, 2025.
This means concerned employees will receive their wages backdated to May 2025.
Statutory Instrument 48 of 2026 (CAP. 28:01), Collective Bargaining Agreement: Agricultural Industry: Horticulture Subsector reads: “It is hereby notified that the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has, in terms of section 80(1) of the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01), approved the publication of the Collective Bargaining Agreement set out in the Schedule, which was registered in terms of section 79 of the Act.
“The employer parties and the employee parties, being parties to the National Employment Council for the Agricultural Industry in Zimbabwe, have agreed on the following provisions concerning minimum wages in the horticulture sub-sector, effective May 1, 2025.
“The minimum wage for the horticulture sub-sector shall be increased from US$94 to US$99, payable in a component of 80 percent United States dollars (US$) and a US$ component of 20 percent convertible to the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency according to the prevailing interbank rate on the date of payment. Entities with capacity can pay 100 percent in US$ dollars.”
The 10 different worker grades in the grade schedules from A1 to C2 had minimum salaries reviewed from US$94 to US$99 for the former lowest grade (A1), while for the highest grade (C2), it rose from US$186 to US$196 per month.
The other grades’ wages were increased by between US$5 and US$10.
The notice revealed that the accommodation allowance marginally rose from US$38 to US$42 with effect from February 2025.
Fuel and light allowances were increased by US$2 each to US$13 and US$9, respectively.
The cost of transport and travel and subsistence allowance will be paid by the employer.
“Establishments or employees may apply for exemption or partial exemption/review from paying wages as prescribed in the above schedule, stating the reasons why that application should be considered, within 14 days of the date of the agreement to the National Employment Council.
“This agreement is binding on all organisations within the agricultural industry,” read the notice.
Employees who are required to handle dogs or firearms as part of their duty are entitled to an additional five percent of their monthly wages.
Zimbabwe National Farmers Union (ZNFU) president Mrs Monica Chinamasa said this was thoroughly discussed and agreed that the horticultural sector was intricate and demanding, hence workers needed to get better wages.
“There’s a difference in minimum wages between horticulture and other crops.
“Even on a mixed farm, those who work in horticulture will get a little more just to keep workers happy and do their work on schedule. So, these wages are acceptable,” she said.
Another Statutory Instrument 47 of 2026 listed plants commonly considered under the horticulture sub-sector as falling into the fruits and tree nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices, medicinal herbs and aromatics and flower categories.
The horticultural sub-sector is an important arm of the economy.
This saw the Government crafting the Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan (HRGP) in 2020, which seeks to stimulate both conventional and rural horticulture production, accelerate domestic and export horticulture production, productivity and profitability and value addition.
This is expected to contribute significantly to food security and nutrition, import substitution, foreign currency generation, employment creation and raising household incomes in pursuit of Vision 2030.
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