Macadamias: EU imports up by more than 50%

Growers left with unsold stocks

Kenyan macadamia growers have once again called for government intervention to address the current challenges facing the sector, as reported by The Standard. The focus is on the possible temporary suspension of the export ban on raw macadamia nuts to reduce growing stock levels.

At a meeting of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) in Thika, the chairman of the Mt Kenya Macadamia Cooperative Society, Gitonga Gathua, explained that many growers are suffering from a backlog of unsold stock. He stated that a key issue was bottlenecks along the value chain, particularly limited processing capacity, which makes it difficult for traders and processors to purchase nuts from growers. According to him, large quantities of the current crop remain in warehouses and on farms as the market cannot absorb them all.

Proposals to ease the pressure on the sector

Several measures were proposed during the discussions. These include state-backed financing for raw materials, so that cooperatives can pay growers directly before the goods are passed on to processors. The temporary suspension of the ban on the export of inshell macadamia nuts was also discussed. Gitonga Gathua reported that a suspension of the ban for at least six months had been proposed in order to reduce accumulated stocks. At the same time, he pointed out that longer storage periods could affect quality and that there was a risk of the nuts going mouldy, which would affect both growers and processors.

The acting AFA Director of the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate, John Athola, confirmed the challenges facing the sector and explained that measures to improve market access and financing were being considered. He added that the government was working to provide sufficient funds to processors and to strengthen value addition in collaboration with district administrations. The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of the existing ban on the export of unshelled macadamia nuts, which is intended to promote local processing, according to The Standard.

Prices stable for the time being

The global macadamia market has started 2026 with firm prices. This is due to low stock levels following the poor 2025 crop in key producing countries such as South Africa and Australia. At the same time, demand from the snack and ingredients sectors has remained stable. With the start of the new harvest, the focus is now on the expected growth in production and the question of how well the additional volumes will be absorbed by the market; this is reported by the experts at ofi in their latest market overview.

Significant recovery in South Africa’s crop

South Africa is expected to harvest around 93,000-95,000 mt of inshell macadamias in 2026, representing a significant increase on last year. However, persistent heavy rainfall in key growing regions is causing uncertainty regarding harvesting operations and quality. China could provide a significant boost to demand: import duties on South African inshell macadamias and macadamia kernels have been reduced from 12% to 0%.

Kenya also expects higher production than last year. Sufficient rainfall in East Africa has benefited nut development, and in some regions the harvest is about to begin.

Currency pressures in Australia

In Australia, the crop is estimated at around 56,000-58,000 mt. Improved flowering conditions and the increasing maturity of the plantations are supporting production. Nut development has been assessed positively so far, although the final crop volume and quality will continue to depend on weather conditions during the harvest. Farmgate prices are roughly at last year’s level, whilst the weaker US dollar against the Australian dollar is weighing on export prices, according to ofi.

Supply is increasing significantly

In addition to South Africa, Australia and Kenya, higher crop volumes are also expected in other producing countries. As harvesting activity increases, supply is likely to grow significantly over the next two to three months. Whilst prices are expected to remain stable in the short term due to tight stocks from the previous year, the increased supply could lead to a gradual softening later in the season, particularly for lower-quality kernels. The market remains sensitive to changes in crop forecasts and quality developments.

EU imports rise significantly

EU macadamia imports rose significantly by more than 50% in the first five months of the year compared with the same period last year. Between 1 January and 7 June 2026, a total of 3,946 mt of shelled and inshell macadamias were imported, with South Africa remaining the main supplier at 1,759 mt, representing an increase of 23.5%. Kenya increased its exports to the EU by a whopping 171.6% to 1,054 mt, climbing to second place, followed by Australia with 423 mt. Vietnam and China increased their shipments to EU countries by an impressive 426% and 322% respectively.

The main buyer within the EU during the period in question was the Netherlands, which increased its imports by 57.4% to 1,550 mt, followed by Germany (+89.5% to 1,300 mt) and Spain (+36.4% to 371 mt). Although the average import price fell by 1.3% to EUR 10.65/kg, the large volume meant that the total import value rose by 51.5% to just over EUR 42 million.

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