The government, through the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), has threatened to take legal action against macadamia farmers found harvesting or processing immature nuts.
AFA Director General Bruno Linyiru on Thursday, February 6, revealed that the Authority, through its routine surveillance, noted a rise in malpractices within the macadamia nuts industry that compromised the integrity of the supply chain.
Such unethical practices included the harvesting, handling, trading, and processing of immature macadamia nuts, as well as unauthorized trading by unlicensed individuals, particularly marketing agents.
Other malpractices involved the improper disposal of rejected or low-quality nuts, which were often mixed with higher-quality nuts and resold to unsuspecting processors.
Unprocessed Macadamia nuts inside a sack
Photo
Kenya Export Promotion
According to Linyiru, the aforementioned practices contravene Section 43 of the Agriculture and Food Authority Act, which prohibits the export of macadamia nuts in shell except with the written authority of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kangwe.
During the announcement, the Director General revealed that the Authority would collaborate with enforcement agencies to intensify surveillance across macadamia-growing and trading regions.
Linyiru warned that individuals and organizations found engaging in the harvesting, trading, or processing of immature nuts, operating without a valid license, or improperly disposing of rejected nuts risked legal action, including imprisonment and license revocation.
“Individuals or companies found engaging in these illegal activities will face strict legal action, including license suspension or revocation and criminal prosecution,” Linyiru stated.
“We urge all stakeholders—traders, processors, and exporters—to adhere to the relevant regulations and standards to protect the reputation, sustainability, and profitability of Kenya’s macadamia industry.”
The warning notice came three months after the government banned the export of the nuts from November 2, 2024, to March 1, 2025, to curb the export of immature nuts.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Andrew Karanja, in a statement on October 22, 2024, revealed that the move followed macadamia nut stakeholders’ consultation.
However, the CS gave the farmers up to November 15 to submit their harvested stock for inspection, verification and clearance for exportation.
Agriculture CS Andrew Karanja in a past function
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Ministry of Agriculture