The 2016 South African macadamia crop totalled 38,000 tons. Based on figures received from about 95% of handlers, 38 000 tons of nut in shell (NIS; measured at 1.5% kernel moisture content) was produced in 2016, which was 17% less than the record crop of 46 000 tons produced in 2015. This was due to a drought, as well as other meteorological phenomena such as high temperatures and hail. The forecast for 2017 is 10.5% up on the 2016 crop at 42,000 tons NIS.
The main increase in production is expected to come from the Mpumalanga province, which has the largest area planted to macadamias and also accounts for 70% of new plantings. The macadamia industry is growing by more than 2 000 ha per annum. Good summer rains have fallen in all production regions. Furthermore, it is expected that many new plantings established from 2009 onwards will come into production for the first time.
In 2016, approximately 24 320 tons of the crop were processed to kernel (64% of the total crop). The remaining 13 680 tons were exported as NIS, mainly to China, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Interestingly, the quantity of macadamias processed to kernel was approximately 2 500 tons greater than in 2015, despite the smaller crop. 「This is a positive indicator for the South African macadamia industry,」 says Walter Giuricich, chairman of the Southern African Macadamia Growers』 Association (SAMAC). 「Due to increasing sizing and quality demands from the NIS export market, as well as concern over high import tariffs in China, many processors chose to process greater volumes in order to grow supply of South African product into traditional kernel markets.」 Chinese import duties for South African macadamias remain at 19%, while Australia has negotiated a free trade agreement with China.
The South African crop forecast will be updated after at the commencement of harvesting in March/April.
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