Macadamia production down
The local macadamia production is down approximately 16% from that in the previous year.
Wynand Steyn of the Kubu Group in Tzaneen says the total national harvest is expected to reach 49 503t nut-in-shell (NIS), measured at 1,5% kernel moisture content, against a crop of 59 050t achieved in the previous year.
“Everyone expected an increase in yield as result of wide spread orchard expansions. The general consensus amongst farmers is that is due to the prolonged drought experienced in the main growing regions in the country. Personally, our crop was down only about 5% from the prior year, which we were very pleased with given the climatic conditions experienced this last season,” he says.
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According to Steyn has the colder weather not impacted on the current year’s harvest, but it definitely will have an impact on the harvest next year.
“Some regions, especially around Barberton, had severe frost damage where farmers lost thousands of trees.
“Most farmers are however seeing a very large flower set this year on trees that were not damaged, which bodes well for the new season ahead.
“The Tzaneen area fortunately did not have that much damage from the cold, we only lost a hand full of trees in the lower lying areas of the farm.”
He says Covid definitely had an impact on the demand side for macadamia nuts, especially on the kernel markets that is heavily dependent on the leisure markets, e.g. sales at airports.
“On the flip side, there was also an increase in demand from the ingredients market, as people were spending more time at home baking and focusing on healthy eating.
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“The nut in shell (NIS) markets in China also held firm, and prices remained reasonably consistent with that in the previous year. So, overall, we did see a decrease in demand in some areas, but fortunately also an increase in demand in others.”
*South Africa and Australia are the largest macadamia nut producers in the world.
In South Africa production is increasing by 4000 ha a year.
They’re mostly grown in the Limpopo region as they do well in more tropical areas where avocados, papayas, mangoes and bananas are grown.
