The MACNUT Association of Kenya ( aMacadamia farmers association), has addressed recent claims made by the Nut Traders Association of Kenya (NUTAK) regarding the Agriculture and Food Authority's (AFA's) decision to deny export licenses for raw macadamia nuts which has broader implications on local industries, farming communities, and the overall economy.
Kenya has established itself as the fourth-largest producer of macadamia nuts globally, with a 13 percent market share, translating to 7,750 tonnes on a processed kernel basis.
The macadamia sector has become a crucial cash crop for foreign exchange earnings, significantly contributing to the country's economic development, particularly in employment creation and enhancing farmer and household incomes.
During a media briefing in Nairobi, the Chairperson of the MACNUT Association of Kenya, Jane Maigua noted that approximately 200,000 smallholder farmers are involved in this sector, which has seen production increase from 11,000 tonnes of Nut-In-Shell (NIS) in 2009 to 45,000 tonnes in 2023 as the AFA estimates that production could reach 63,000 tonnes NIS by 2027, representing a 40 percent increase from 2023 levels.
