Macadamia farmers push for lifting of export ban as unsold nuts pile up

A farmer harvests macadamia nuts at Gatitu Village in Nyeri. [File, Standard]

Macadamia farmers have renewed calls for urgent government intervention to address challenges affecting the sector, including the lifting of the ban on the export of raw macadamia nuts to help clear mounting stockpiles.

Speaking at KALRO Seeds in Thika on Wednesday after a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Mt Kenya Macadamia Cooperative Society chairman Gitonga Gathua said farmers are facing serious hardships due to a backlog of unsold produce.

Gathua said the meeting focused on challenges affecting the macadamia value chain, particularly the inability of processors and traders to purchase nuts from farmers due to limited processing capacity.

“We had a very good meeting called by AFA to discuss the current teething problems affecting the macadamia sector and the bottlenecks existing within the value chain,” said Gathua.

He noted that many farmers are still holding large quantities of macadamia nuts in stores and on farms, with some produce remaining unsold due to limited market capacity.

“Farmers are crying because a lot of nuts are still lying in stores and on farms. Statistics shared by AFA indicate that a significant portion of the current produce is still with farmers, yet they need to sell and get money,” he said.

To address the crisis, stakeholders discussed several proposals, including government-backed commodity financing to empower cooperatives to buy produce directly from farmers before supplying processors, thereby helping clear the backlog.

Among the major proposals discussed was the possible temporary lifting of the ban on exporting macadamia in-shell.

Gathua said recommendations from stakeholders would be forwarded to the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, including a proposal to suspend the ban for at least six months.

“It has been extensively discussed, and suggestions have been made that it may be useful to suspend the ban for at least six months to clear the backlog,” he said.

Gathua urged the government to implement urgent measures, warning that prolonged storage of macadamia nuts could lead to deterioration in quality.

“The farmers are crying and need to sell their produce. The longer the nuts remain in stores, the more they risk getting mouldy, which will affect both farmers and processors,” he added.

Acting AFA Director of the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate, John Athola, acknowledged the challenges facing farmers, many of whom are struggling to secure reliable markets for their produce.

“We are aware of the challenges facing macadamia farmers, especially the struggle to secure reliable markets for their produce. The government is working on providing adequate financing to processors so they can buy nuts directly from farmers, while also partnering with county governments to promote value addition and strengthen the sector’s competitiveness,” said Athola.

To improve farmers’ bargaining power and increase returns, Athola urged growers to form and join cooperative societies.

“The government is encouraging farmers to join cooperatives to strengthen their bargaining power and earnings. We also plan to provide dryers to farmers and processors to reduce moisture content in macadamia nuts, improve quality, and extend shelf life,” he added.

Farmers who attended the forum welcomed the proposed measures but urged the government to fast-track implementation to ease the difficulties currently facing the industry.

The interventions come months after the government imposed a ban on the export of in-shell macadamia, a move intended to boost local processing and enhance value addition within the country.