Kenya’s macadamia value surges 73% to US$66M after raw nut export ban
The sector has traditionally focused on the European Union and the USA, but AFA and local cooperatives are seeking to expand demand in Asia.
KENYA – Kenya’s macadamia sector has recorded a 73% increase in crop value in 2025, reaching KES 8.6 billion (approx. US$66.7 million), driven by a government ban on exporting unprocessed, raw nuts that shifted market activity toward domestic processing.
Production reached 53,968.16 tonnes, up from 49,183 tonnes the previous year, according to Agriculture and Food Authority data. The AFA reinstated the ban in July 2025, requiring macadamia exports to be shipped as processed kernels rather than raw nuts.
As a result, the policy reduced the role of informal brokers in the raw-nut market and directed more supply to Kenyan processors.
Meanwhile, farm-gate prices rose during the 2025/2026 harvest season. Farmers received KES 70(approx. US$0.54) to KES 100(approx. US$0.78) per kilogram at the start of the harvest year, while prices reached KES 120(approx. US$0.93) to KES 150(approx. US$1.16) per kilogram towards the end of the high season.
Earlier in the year, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe set a minimum purchase price of KES 100 (approx. US$0.78) per kilogram and directed local processors to absorb domestic supply at fair rates.
Kenya accounts for approximately 20% of global macadamia production and ranks third among 66 global exporters. The sector has traditionally focused on the European Union and the USA, but AFA and local cooperatives are seeking to expand demand in Asia.
Moreover, a zero-tariff agreement with China under the Early Harvest Agreement took effect on 1 May 2026, giving Kenyan processed macadamia kernels duty-free access to the Chinese market. As a result, exporters are upgrading facilities to meet KEPHIS certification, traceability, and food safety documentation requirements for Chinese customs.
The ban on raw nut exports has transformed Kenya’s economy by increasing the crop’s total value, boosting farm-gate prices, creating jobs in domestic processing facilities, and positioning Kenya as a global production leader.
Additionally, access to the European market is another priority for Kenyan processors. The European Union is tightening aflatoxin limits for imported macadamia nuts, with the new limits scheduled to take full effect in 2027.
The challenges facing Kenyan exporters in 2027 include meeting stricter European aflatoxin limits, complying with Chinese certification and traceability requirements, maintaining processing capacity to handle higher volumes, and balancing domestic and export demand for processed nuts.
Ultimately, these developments signal a transition towards a more sophisticated export model centered on domestic value addition and rigorous quality control.
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