Alternative markets for macadamia nuts

10 Mar, 2023 - 00:03 0 Views
Alternative markets for macadamia nuts Government is working with various stakeholders to secure alternative markets for macadamia nuts

The ManicaPost

 

Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent

GOVERNMENT is working with various stakeholders to secure alternative markets for macadamia nuts.

Prices of the nuts have fallen down to US$0,80 cents from US$3 per kilogramme.

The situation has led to a sour relationship between macadamia nuts producers and buyers, with producers calling for a win-win situation.

China was the major destination of our local macadamia nuts but the oversupply of the nuts in that country led to the decline of prices.

 

Secretary for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Edgars Seenza said Government has intervened to save the macadamia nuts industry from collapsing.

Mr Seenza said the nuts industry is a critical sector for the provincial economy as well as the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The issue of low prices for macadamia nuts is being addressed by Government.

“At the moment, there are five buyers of macadamia nuts from South Africa, China and India in Chipinge District and these buyers told us that the prices of macadamia nuts are depressed on the international markets.

“However, the country’s trade promotion board, ZimTrade, has made commendable efforts in establishing new markets for our macadamia nuts which are critical in the GDP equation and they are liasing with buyers from Netherlands, United Kingdom and Germany to come on board as alternative markets for macadamia nuts.

“We are waiting for the finalisation of their discussions and farmers will be trained to produce thein Chipinge District quality nuts required by the international markets in order for them to fetch meaningful prices for their nuts,” said Mr Seenza

Macadamia Producers Association of Zimbabwe (MPAZ) secretary, Mr Lazarus Dhliwayo said they are optimistic that they will strike a good deal in the alternative countries.

“The marketing season for nuts has not opened. There is no need for farmers to panic. We are following trends of macadamia nuts prices in South Africa.

“What is happening there reflects our local prices.

“In South Africa, some marketing companies are yet to sell last year’s harvest,” said Mr Dhliwayo.

Scores of indigenous farmers in the Eastern Highlands took up macadamia nuts farming at the turn of the millennium.

The nuts are dubbed the green diamond of Chipinge due to their high rewards.

 

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