SA Macadamia Production Set To Triple By 2025

Production volumes of South African macadamias are expected to increase from 46 000t in 2015 to 70 718t by 2021. Based on current plantings, this figure could further rise to 125 980t by 2025. Such an increase, however, would require significant investment in processing capacity.

- Wessel Lemmer

Global production of macadamias is expected to increase from 154 675t in 2015 to 188 451t this year, and ultimately reach 315 425t by 2021 (see Table 1).

By 2021, China (projected annual output: 71 408t) is expected to become the largest macadamia producer, followed by South Africa (70 141t), Australia (60 211t) and Kenya (53 662t). Production in Mozambique is expected to increase to 10 732t.

LOCAL TREE NUT PRODUCTION

In 2015, South Africa produced 46 000t of macadamias, of which nut in shell kernels amounted to 22 158t and shelled nuts to 23 842t.

However, due to drought during the 2015/2016 season, production declined on average 17,4% year-on-year. The South African Macadamia Growers’ Association’s (SAMAC) most recent crop estimate (May 2017) indicated that total production in 2016 was 38 000t, valued at R2,7 billion.