Zimbabwe expects to export at least 5 000 tons of beef to the Asian commercial hub from early next year, according to the state-controlled newspaper.

Beef exports suffered a knock in 2000 when the EU, which used to import more than 9 000 tons a year, suspended imports after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

The principal director of veterinary services, Stuart Har-greaves, told the Herald Hong Kong was very happy with beef samples sent from Zimbabwe.

Ngoni Chinogaramombe, the chief executive of Zimbabwe's main beef company, the Cold Storage Company, said: "We used to earn more than US$50 million [R351 million] through beef exports when we exported to the EU and this new market has the potential to take us back to those levels."

Source: Business Report