The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
PLAYERS in the macadamia nuts industry have said the global increase in supply of the nuts to China has affected local prices.
Dubbed the green diamond of Chipinge for exceedingly paying in the previous seasons, the prices of the nuts have been tumbling of late.
Some farmers had taken up macadamia farming in anticipation of great rewards and are now up in arms with local buyers as they accuse them of short-changing them by paying low prices.
This season, a kilogramme of macadamia nuts is fetching between US$0,80 and US$1.
Farmers are demanding US$3 per kilogramme.
However, local buyers are arguing that the poor prices are a result of increased supplies of the nuts from across the world.
The situation has also resulted in buyers only buying quality macadamia nuts, thereby leaving the majority of farmers stranded.
In an interview with Post Business, a representative of the local buyers, Mr Martin Maredza of AGRIMEP Company said the prices of macadamia nuts have declined due to the increased production of the crop globally.
Mr Maredza refuted claims that local buyers are short-changing farmers.
“It is not true that we are short-changing farmers. There is increased supply of macadamia nuts to China, which was our major export destination for the past seasons.
“The global production has increased, so demand of nuts from Zimbabwe is decreasing. This has a bearing in the prices and this is affecting the farmers,” he said.
Macadamia Producers Association of Zimbabwe (MPAZ) technical advisor, Mr Lazarus Dhliwayo said they are optimistic that they will secure major contracts to supply the nuts to other countries.
“The season has not officially opened and there is no need for farmers to panic. We hope our local partners will export our crop to other countries other than China.
“We are actually feeling the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which greatly affected our partners in China,” said Mr Dhliwayo.
Between 2011 to 2021, the macadamia nuts industry recorded some growth, with farmers reaping big rewards after harvests.
