Macadamia farmers feel the pinch of tougher export standards

Kenya’s macadamia farmers hit by tougher export standards. [Courtesy]

A sharp decline in macadamia quality has triggered a collapse in buyer confidence, leaving more than 200,000 smallholder farmers stuck with large volumes of unsold produce.

In various counties such as Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Embu and Meru, the harvest season, typically a peak selling period, has turned into a storage problem as farmers have been left with huge macadamia stocks that have failed to meet export standards. 

The quality decline has largely been linked to premature harvesting, weak pest control at the farm level and poor post-harvest handling practices that have led to mould and spoilage, ultimately eroding farmer incomes. 

“I am currently sitting on approximately 500 kilogrammes of macadamia that I cannot sell because the few brokers in the field are offering meagre prices,” said John Karani, a farmer in Kirinyaga. “If nothing changes, many of us will be forced out of macadamia farming.” 

Experts say the situation is being worsened by a fragmented marketing system dominated by informal brokers. According to Benard Sitati of the MACNUT Association of Kenya, this structure encourages short-term decisions that compromise quality. 

“The informal brokerage system distorts the market. Farmers are forced to harvest early because they need money, but what reaches processors is immature or damaged. When quality drops, buyers reject the nuts or stop buying completely,” Sitati said.

He warned that Kenya risks losing its credibility in the global macadamia market. “Once buyers lose trust in quality, it is very hard to win it back. We are getting close to that point.” 

Beyond premature harvesting, weak pest control and poor post-harvest handling, stakeholders say the crisis also reflects outdated production practices at the farm level.  

Minimal farming investments

Despite the crop’s growing economic importance, many smallholder farmers still rely on traditional orchards with minimal investment in modern crop husbandry.

Trees often receive limited pruning, nutrition management, pest monitoring or orchard rejuvenation, even in seasons of strong production. 

Experts argue that this neglect has contributed to declining nut quality and inconsistent yields, making it increasingly difficult for Kenyan macadamia to meet the stringent requirements of international buyers. 

“Many farmers still treat macadamia as a semi-wild crop that can produce without much management,” said a sector stakeholder.

“But the reality is, export markets now require quality, traceability and proper orchard management. Without investment in modern husbandry practices, farmers will continue to lose out on premium prices.” 

The crisis has also been aggravated by timing decisions within the regulatory framework.

The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) opened the harvesting season on February 1, earlier than the recommended period. Combined with rising cases of theft on farms, this pushed many farmers into premature harvesting. 

Another structural weakness is the absence of strong farmer organisations. Njaga Wambugu, a macadamia farmer in Nyeri holding about one tonne of nuts, says growers remain disorganised compared to other cash crops such as coffee. 

“We don’t have strong cooperatives to protect farmers or stabilise prices. Without government support to build cooperatives, farmers remain weak and cannot negotiate better prices or improve quality,” Wambugu said. 

Strict export demands

Processors are also feeling the pressure, reporting high rejection rates due to substandard deliveries. 

“We are receiving truckloads where almost half of the nuts cannot be processed. Sorting is expensive, so we are reducing how much we buy,” said Michael Gatua, a processor in Central Kenya. 

He added that international buyers now demand strict farm-to-export traceability requirements that are difficult to meet under the current broker-dominated system. 

While macadamia farming has expanded into non-traditional regions such as the Rift Valley and Western Kenya, farmers in these areas are not experiencing the same level of market distress.

Lower production volumes and limited broker penetration have helped shield them from the severe market distortions seen in Mt Kenya counties. 

Gatua warned that Kenya risks losing lucrative opportunities if quality is not restored.

“If quality were consistent, we could easily match prices of up to Sh200 per kilo offered by competitors like South Africa.” 

Adding to the growing concern is the near silence from government authorities. Despite widespread distress across key producing regions, there has been little public communication or intervention to stabilise the market or reassure farmers, an omission stakeholders say is deepening uncertainty. 

Overall, the crisis highlights a widening gap between Kenya’s current production practices and global market expectations.

Stakeholders are now calling for urgent coordination to improve quality standards, strengthen farmer cooperatives, and curb premature harvesting before the country loses its standing in the global macadamia industry.