Macadamias: EU imports take a hit
May 5, 2025 at 11:47 AM ,
Der AUDITOR
Prices rebound within EU
EU imports may have slumped by 20% in the first four months of the year as compared with the same period last year. Yet, it should be noted that imports hit a record exceeding 2,000 mt for the very first time between January and April 2024. At 1,779 mt they are in fact very much in line with the 1,770 mt imported in the first four months of 2023. They have, in other words, returned to normal levels.
In terms of value, however, EU importers have spent EUR 20.201 million (USD 22.892 million) this year so far, which is 22% up on last year’s EUR 16.500 million (USD 18.698 million). After falling to a record low EUR 7.40/kg (USD 7.93/kg) in the first four months of 2024, average import prices have recovered to EUR 11.36/kg (USD 12.87/kg) this year so far.
Ample supplies weigh on imports
This ties in with global trends as demand for macadamias is fuelled by marketing campaigns, health-conscious consumers and product innovations in the ingredients and confectionary business. The volumes imported to the EU have shown a relatively steady trend in recent years. Trade policies, such as the indirect backlash of Trump's tariffs, which are not expected to directly impact macadamias, availability and prices will set the scene in the next few years. EU importers certainly seized the moment last year to stock up with substantial volumes, which are now circulating between different member states, despite the fact that the EU does not produce this type of nut.
Imports from Kenya, which is still holding on to an export ban for inshell macadamias, have declined sharply. Imports from South Affrica and Australia have, by contrast, risen by double digits. Macadamias South Africa (SAMAC) has left its crop forecast untouched and expects output to rise by 7% to 93,433 mt in 2025 as compared with 2024. Contrary to this, the Australian Macadamia Society (AMS) revised the 2025 crop forecast a bit down to 55,960 mt due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which had a small impact. The Netherlands accounted for 31% of the EU’s total imports in the first four months of the year, followed by Germany with 28% and Spain with 13%.
|
EU macadamia nut imports (kg) |
|||
|
Partner |
2024 |
2025 |
Diff. |
|
South Africa |
1,019,031 |
1,174,254 |
15.2% |
|
Australia |
205,648 |
253,056 |
23.1% |
|
Kenya |
715,481 |
184,701 |
-74.2% |
|
Guatemala |
13,622 |
54,580 |
300.7% |
|
Malawi |
228,821 |
49,444 |
-78.4% |
|
Vietnam |
23,599 |
35,599 |
50.8% |
|
EU |
- |
19,050 |
- |
|
Brazil |
1 |
3,890 |
388,900.0% |
|
Paraguay |
- |
2,756 |
- |
|
Senegal |
- |
460 |
- |
|
Others |
24,078 |
799 |
-96.3% |
|
Total |
2,230,281 |
1,778,589 |
-20.3% |
|
DG TAXUD Customs Surveillance, provisional data |
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