By John Kamau
The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has mounted a crackdown on unlicensed dealers and processors of macadamia nuts across 14 counties.
The exercise is meant to protect farmers from exploitation, maintain quality and also minimize rising theft of the produce from farms before it matures, according to government officials.
Speaking to journalists after an operation that nabbed one of the unlicensed dealers at Kiganjo in Gatundu South, Kiambu County, AFA Deputy Director of the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate Patrick Kirimi said the offenders will face charges of violating the law.
He added that the operation is ongoing in all the 14 macadamia growing counties in a bid to check malpractices that are not only against the law but also harm farmers.
“We must protect macadamia farmers from illegal traders to halt the widespread buying of immature nuts, which destroys the reputation and quality of Kenyan produce in global markets. These, often unregistered, brokers facilitate farm theft, violate export bans, and cheat farmers with low prices, thus threatening the sustainability of the industry,” Kirimi said.
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.
“We are enforcing the 2020 crops, nuts and oil crops regulations to ensure that only licensed traders who comply with set standards operate,” he noted.
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.
He said among the players that AFA is bringing onboard are farmers, processors, marketing agencies and exporters so as to enhance production and have a structured value chain.
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 Authority is committed to retain and improve on.
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 government has maintained that the crackdown on unlicensed dealers is necessary to protect the industry from premature harvesting and to secure the KES 5B export sector
Mt Kenya Times