AFA mounts crackdown on illegal macadamia nuts dealers
The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has mounted a crackdown on unlicensed dealers and processors of macadamia nuts across 14 counties.
The move, according to government officials, is meant to protect farmers from exploitation, maintain quality of processed nuts and also minimize rising theft of the produce from farms before it matures.
Speaking to journalists after an operation that nabbed one of the unlicensed dealers at Kiganjo area in Gatundu South, Kiambu County, AFA Deputy Director in the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate Patrick Kirimi said the offenders will face charges of violating the law.
He added that the operation is currently ongoing in six out of the 14 macadamia growing counties in a bid to curb reported malpractices that are not only against the law but also deplete farmers’ incomes.
In Gatundu, the AFA officials who were accompanied by police officers, pounced on the unlicensed dealer whom they found still receiving macadamia nuts before they arrested him and carted away part of his equipment.
Noting that macadamia exports earned the country Sh 5 billion in 2024 and the proceeds are still in an upward trend, Kirimi said the Authority is working with stakeholders to ensure farmers continue to reap more from their sweat.
“As a regulator, AFA is bringing onboard all the stakeholders including farmers, processors, marketing agencies and exporters so as to enhance production and have a structured value chain,” Kirimi stated.
The official also noted that Kenya is currently the third biggest producer of macadamia nuts in the world after South Africa and China, a feat that he said the government is committed retain and improve on.
“Macadamia nuts are largely an export crop and that is why the Ministry is encouraging best practices so that it continues to bring better foreign exchange earnings,” affirmed the official.
Kirimi pointed out that as a result of the reported malpractices, farmers were being paid less than the guaranteed minimum price of Sh 100 per kilogram and some even get as little as Sh 50.
He also appealed to processors to abide by the law, maintaining that they stand to benefit from lawful processing and export of quality nuts which fetches better prices in the international market.
This, he added, will also help create more jobs for the youth and improve family livelihoods.
The crackdown is mainly targeting the Central and Eastern macadamia growing counties where theft of unprocessed nuts and others malpractices have been reported.
