The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa and Chipo Katsidzira Farming Correspondents
MACADAMIA growers have been urged to embrace the recently promulgated law to regulate the production, marketing and theft of nuts to ensure the growth of the industry.
For years, there was no law to control and regulate the marketing and institute effective systems to curb the theft of the lucrative nuts, popularly referred to as the ‘green diamond’ of Chipinge.
The coming into force of the Statutory Instrument 138 of 2019 brings a win-win scenario between the growers, buyers and the Government.
The new law brings with it the opportunity for macadamia growers to bring foreign currency into the country.
The new law has, however, generated mixed feelings among macadamia growers with some crying foul that it prescribes and burdens them with heavy taxes while others welcome it as progressive, and capable of incubating and growing the sector that over the years has been a free-for-all.
Agritex horticulture specialist Mr Douglas Nzarayebani said there was need to raise awareness on the significance of Statutory Instrument 138 of 2019 (Agricultural Marketing Authority, Macadamia Nuts Regulations) which opens more opportunities for growers.
“Many growers are not accessing opportunities in the production of macadamia because they are not following procedures during the production of the crop. The crop has the potential to generate more foreign currency than tobacco, but farmers have to adhere to the demands of Statutory Instrument 138 0f 2019 to achieve this,” he said.
Mr Nzarayebani added that there was less knowledge among growers on the production of the crop.
“The new law helps farmers to access critical information on macadamia nuts production, marketing and processing; provision of research, training and extension services; pest and disease control; and marketing and processing of macadamia nuts. It also offers information on the control of theft of macadamia nuts,” he said.
Macadamia producers’ association patron Mr Win Mlambo said there was need to raise awareness within all macadamia growing areas and value-chain stakeholders on the positive effect of the new law to avoid misinterpretations by stakeholders and misinformation by detractors.
Mr Mlambo said ignorance among growers would cripple the industry despite its huge potential to rake in millions of foreign currency into the country.
“White farmers kept macadamia as a secret crop thus there is little knowledge among black famers on the governance and production of the nuts. We now have a new law in place, but due to ignorance among the macadamia value-chain, there hasn’t been a wider acceptance of the benefits that the law entails to the sector,” said Mr Mlambo.
He said macadamia have potential to generate more foreign currency than tobacco and cotton, hence the need for stakeholders to subscribe to the dictates of Statutory Instrument 138 of 2019.
“There are massive underhand dealings between stakeholders involved in the production and purchase of the nuts to the extent that the majority of the proceeds are not being channeled towards the national fiscus. The new law contains several aspects that empower the State, grower and buyer,” he said.
Some of the law’s dictates include compulsory registration of both the growers and buyers; giving police powers to arrest those who steal the nuts, while on the other hand guides against theft and classification of the nuts.
Macadamia is one of the top foreign currency earner crop dominantly produced in Manicaland alongside other crops such as tea, coffee, tobacco, cotton, bananas and avocado peas.
