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Macadamias: Australia has big goals

November 9, 2022 at 12:49 PM , Der AUDITOR
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CANBERRA. Although severe storms damaged this year's crop, Australian growers were able to prevent the worst. For the next three years, cultivation is to be significantly expanded once again.

Farmer efficiency pays off

In the 2021/22 season (March 2021 to February 2022), Australian production was 51,500 mt of inshell macadamias (3.5% moisture content). This represented a 10% increase over the 2020 crop, as reported by the Australian Macadamia Society (AMS). The growing regions in New South Wales were repeatedly affected by storms, while the weather conditions in Queensland looked much better. Here, higher yields were achieved than in the previous season and there were numerous new plantings.

Unlike last year, Queensland growers were also affected in the 2022/23 season. In the growing regions there and again in New South Wales, severe storms and floods raged, leading to heavy crop losses and presenting the farmers with massive challenges in their plantations. Thanks to their quick and efficient action, however, the crop is still estimated at 49,340 mt of inshell macadamias (3.5% moisture content), which means that the decline compared to the previous season remains moderate. The fact that Australia's largest growing region, Bundaberg, was not affected by the storms also contributed to this.

High crop target

The targets for the coming years are high. According to the AMS, 800 farmers currently grow macadamias on an area of 38,000 ha. 80% of the production is exported. By 2025, the cultivation area is to be expanded to 46,000 ha and the crop target is an impressive 70,000 mt.

Macadamia prices on the European spot market have dropped significantly compared to last week. Macadamias, style 1L, 16-20 mm from Kenya currently cost EUR 14.55/kg FCA Spain.

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