Gov’t Issues New Directives To Macadamia Nut Farmers
The government, through the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), has threatened legal action against macadamia farmers who harvest or process immature nuts.
On Thursday, February 6, AFA Director General Bruno Linyiru announced that the Authority’s normal surveillance had detected an increase in malpractices within the macadamia nut industry, jeopardizing the supply chain’s integrity.
Unethical methods included collecting, handling, trading, and processing immature macadamia nuts, as well as illicit trading by unlicensed individuals, notably marketing agents.
Other malpractices included the incorrect disposal of rejected or low-quality nuts, which were frequently combined with higher-quality nuts and supplied to naïve processors.
According to Linyiru, the aforementioned actions violate Section 43 of the Agriculture and Food Authority Act.
The Act restricts the export of macadamia nuts in shell, save with the written permission of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kangwe.
PRESS RELEASE
— Agriculture and Food Authority-Kenya (@kenya_afa) February 6, 2025
ATTENTION TO ALL MACADAMIA STAKEHOLDERS pic.twitter.com/gPHJ4h2WZV
During the announcement, the Director General stated that the Authority will work with enforcement authorities to increase surveillance in macadamia-growing and trading regions.
Linyiru warned that persons and companies caught harvesting, dealing, or processing immature nuts, operating without a valid license, or inappropriately disposing of rejected nuts will face legal action, including jail and license revocation.
“Individuals or companies found engaging in these illegal activities will face strict legal action, including license suspension or revocation and criminal prosecution,” Linyiru stated.
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“We urge all stakeholders—traders, processors, and exporters—to adhere to the relevant regulations and standards to protect the reputation, sustainability, and profitability of Kenya’s macadamia industry.”
The warning notice arrived three months after the government restricted the export of the nuts from November 2, 2024, to March 1, 2025, to curb the export of immature nuts.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Andrew Karanja disclosed in a statement on October 22, 2024, that the change was made following consultation with macadamia nut stakeholders.
However, the CS gave farmers until November 15 to submit their harvested animals for inspection, verification, and clearance for export.
Gov’t Issues New Directives To Macadamia Nut Farmers
