Agriculture and Food Authority – Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate (AFA-NOCD) established under the Agriculture and Food Authority Act of 2013, is mandated to develop, promote and regulate the Nuts and Oil Crops subsector. As part of this mandate, The Directorate enforces sector regulations to ensure that quality produce is marketed both locally and internationally. This includes ensuring that mature macadamia is harvested and exported, in a bid to sustain and grow Kenya’s domestic and international markets, while minimizing interruptions to the crop cycle occasioned by harvesting of immature macadamia, resulting in reduction of projected volumes in subsequent harvests.
The Authority has been monitoring harvesting trends and recently undertook a rapid assessment in the major macadamia production areas. The findings indicate that there are currently insufficient volumes of mature macadamia to justify harvesting, processing and export.
This therefore is to notify you that;
1. The macadamia harvest season will close on 2nd November 2024 and is scheduled to reopen on 1st March 2025
2. All dealers must declare and submit their current macadamia stocks (Nut InShell and Kernel) for inspection, verification and clearance by 15th November 2024
3. This notice applies to all macadamia processors, exporters, importers and marketing agents
The Authority will continue monitoring the macadamia maturity trends and will provide appropriate guidance.