More than 30,000 metric tonnes of raw macadamia nuts are going to waste, in the farmers and stores' hands after the three-month window opened by the government failed to achieve much.
In the window facilitated by the Agriculture Food Authority (AFA) of between July and October, out of the expected export, the processors managed to ship 700 metric tonnes out of the projected 14,000 metric tonnes.
As the window closed on October 10, the farmers' expectations were shattered after the regulator blocked the continued export of the balance allocated within the stipulated duration through the contracts issued in July and August.
The Kenya Macadamia Growers Association Vice Chairman, Mureithi Gichabi, says the government should act fairly by extending the export duration to save the cancellation of contracts by the international dealers interested in the raw macadamia nuts from Kenya.
Mr Mureithi castigated the government over failure to block the export of the inshell nuts despite the challenges the dealers incurred as they gathered the produce for inspection as the regulations demanded ahead of the shipment.
“The Agriculture & Food Systems Transformation Summit 2026, presided over by President William Ruto, failed to address the concerns in the nut industry, as the officials were blocked from presenting their tribulations.
The Macadamia agenda was ignored, with much concentration pegged on livestock, tea, coffee, sugar, among other less valuable crops,” he said.
Nut Traders Association of Kenya (Nutak) Vice Chairman Mr Njiru Kathangu affirms that the industry was counting huge losses over the government's failure to adhere to the laid-down policies designed to streamline the sector.
“There is a need for policies that would enable free export of in-shell nuts to the Chinese market, through regular lifting of the ban,” said Kathangu.
AFA acting director-general, Calistus Kundu, reported that by October 10, only 700 metric tonnes had been shipped by 14 companies through the Mombasa Port.
Peter Mwangi, a macadamia nut value chain expert, says three years ago, the sector was engulfed in a similar crisis that forced hawking of nuts, a move that forced the former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi to temporarily lift the ban.
“In the counties of Murang’a, Nyeri, Embu, Meru, Kirinyaga, Uasin Gichu and Baringo, tonnes are going to waste, despite the anticipation for better prices. Today, the impact of the three-month export is yet to be felt as the buyers are yet to remit the money,” said Mwangi.
Moses Karasha of Taita Taveta County accused the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, of misleading stakeholders on the availability of the market in the US and Europe.
“The policymakers should advise on the removal of the clause in the AFA Act that blocks the export of the raw nuts. We appreciate the processing of nuts, but the processors are unable to deal with the annual production of 75, 000 metric tonnes,” said Karasha.
Wilson Chumo in North Rift says macadamia nuts have been of help to the farmers and thus need to be protected from sabotage through establishment of a fund by the government.
“We need a fund similar to the Coffee Cherry Advanced Fund that would allocate a kitty to the processors to enable timely payment to the farmers,” said Mr Chumo.
In Nyeri, Mwangi Ruita says blocking the export of the raw nuts remains the only major challenge that has crippled the industry, calling for the immediate removal of the section of the law that hinders the export of the raw nuts.
“The government should allow the Chinese buyers unfiltered access into the market freely, thus enabling the farmers to make a profit,” said Mr Mwangi.
In Nakuru County, a representative from the large estates, Jecinta Mwai, says there are more than 5,000 metric tonnes of nuts awaiting shipment to the market, calling on AFA to extend the export duration.
She says the estates in the past two years have counted huge losses after the government has frustrated all the efforts to market their produce.
“It is disheartening that the investors have continued to suffer over the government’s poor policies that have earned the local traders a poor reputation in the market,” said Ms Mwai.
Jane Wambui, a farmer in Gaitheri village in Murang’a, said the value chain is already locked, so supply suppresses demand, hence the lowest farmgate prices ever.
“The government policies on macadamia have been ignored, thus the root cause of the problems facing the industry,” said Ms Wambui.
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