Zimbabwe is confident of meeting its $1 billion revenue target from the sale of diamonds in 2023 due to improved production, a government official has said.

“We will meet the target. All producers are selling now unlike last year when little was sold for the better part of that year,” Newsday quoted Mines permanent secretary Pfungwa Kunaka as saying at the ordinary meeting of the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) held in Victoria Falls last week.

“Production performance by the producers has improved quite significantly.”

Zimbabwe launched an ambitious plan in October 2019 to transform the mining sector into a $12 billion export industry by the end of 2023.

It also set a $4 billion revenue target for gold, while that of platinum was at $3 billion.

Diamonds, chrome, nickel and steel each had a target of $1 billion.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe took over the reins of ADPA from Tanzania.