Kenya Bans Export & Transit of Raw Macadamia Nuts

In Summary

• Kenya bans export and transit of raw macadamia nuts, effective immediately.
• Ban enforces Crops Act, 2013, and Nuts and Oil Crops Regulations, 2020.
• Aims to protect local processing industry and promote value addition.
• Recent interceptions of raw nut consignments prompted the directive.
• Kenya ranks third globally in macadamia production, exporting 95% of output.
• Exporters advised to use alternative foreign ports for raw macadamia.

Kenya has imposed an immediate ban on the export and transit of raw macadamia nuts to bolster local processing and value addition, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) announced on July 18, 2025. The directive, issued by AFA Director General Bruno Linyiru, prohibits the movement of in-shell and unprocessed macadamia nuts, whether wet or dry, through Kenyan ports, regardless of their country of origin.

The ban, grounded in the Crops Act, 2013, and the Crops (Nuts and Oil Crops) Regulations, 2020, follows recent interceptions of raw macadamia consignments at various border points, suspected to be in transit from foreign countries. “Exporters from foreign states intending to trade in raw macadamia are advised to use alternative foreign ports of exit and refrain from routing raw macadamia through Kenya,” Linyiru said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

The measure aims to protect Kenya’s nut processing industry, which supports local farmers and creates jobs through domestic value addition. Kenya, the third-largest macadamia producer globally after South Africa and Australia, accounts for 13% of the world market, with 95% of its annual production exported to markets like China, the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

Linyiru emphasized that exporting processed macadamia kernels yields higher economic returns than raw nuts, which often benefit foreign manufacturers at Kenya’s expense. “Continued exports of in-shell macadamia reduce export earnings and job opportunities in Kenya’s manufacturing sector,” he noted. The AFA has urged stakeholders seeking clarification to contact them via email at info@afa.go.ke.

The decision follows a turbulent period for Kenya’s macadamia sector. A previous ban on raw nut exports, lifted for one year from November 3, 2023, to stabilize prices after farm gate rates dropped from KSh 180 per kilogram in 2019 to KSh 30–40 by early 2023, lapsed in November 2024. A 30-day export window was granted on December 5, 2024, to clear verified stocks, but the new ban reinstates the focus on local processing.

Farmers have expressed mixed reactions. James Kariuki, a macadamia farmer in Kirinyaga, acknowledged the potential for higher returns from processed nuts but highlighted challenges. “Local processors often pay low prices, and we need better regulation to ensure fair farm gate prices,” he said. The government has promised a minimum price of KSh 100 per kilogram to address such concerns.

The AFA is intensifying inspections and forming a Macadamia Nuts Standing Committee to enforce compliance, improve quality, and enhance traceability. The committee will also develop standards for assessing nut quality using X-ray scanners and promote Good Agricultural Practices to curb the export of immature nuts, which has harmed Kenya’s global reputation.

Kenya’s macadamia industry, centered in counties like Embu, Meru, and Tharaka Nithi, produced 49,183 metric tons in 2024, with only 40% processed locally, presenting significant opportunities for growth through value addition. The ban is expected to strengthen the sector’s contribution to Kenya’s economy by fostering industrial development and protecting farmer incomes.