Record macadamia nut prices forecast for 2016 season
Author: Tracy Hancock
Hit by tumultuous market conditions in 2015, macadamia nut farmers are expected to see record prices for the 2016 season, owing to a combination of the drought in South Africa and Malawi, consistent production levels elsewhere in the world, increased demand from the US and China, and the weak rand.
“The drought will cause the South African crop to be 10% lower than last year and 20% lower than the 2016 forecast for the industry,” said South African macadamia nut processor and marketer Green Farms Nut Company (GFNC) head of sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa Alex Whyte this month.
Speaking at the Valley Macadamias Group’s farmer’s day in Kiepersol, Mpumalanga, earlier this year, chairperson Alan Sutton noted that, while the macadamia industry usually saw a 12% to 15% increase in volume each year, owing to new trees coming into production, the drought would mostly eliminate any increase.
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