Macadamia farmers from the Mt Kenya region are threatening to protest against the government’s restrictive export policies, accusing the Agriculture and Food Authority Act of unfairly benefiting large processors at their expense. The contentious Section 43 of the Act, which restricts the export of raw macadamia nuts, has come under severe scrutiny from farmers who argue that it undermines their economic well-being.
In November of last year, former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi temporarily suspended the law for one year, responding to widespread dissatisfaction from farmers who were forced to sell their nuts at as low as Sh10 per kilogramme. This dramatic drop in prices was attributed to global market fluctuations, including the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war and currency volatility.
During the suspension, processors were required to purchase nuts at a minimum price of Sh100 per kilogramme. The move provided temporary relief to the sector, stabilizing prices and allowing farmers to benefit from more equitable trading conditions. Johnson Kihara, Chairperson of the Nuts Traders Association of Kenya, praised the temporary suspension for giving processors the opportunity to buy and export the produce, which helped stabilize the sector. However, Kihara expressed frustration with the government’s reluctance to permanently amend the law.
He argues that the current legislation only serves a small group of processors who collude to purchase nuts at minimal prices, leaving farmers at their mercy. Kihara has warned that if the government does not address the law by November, macadamia farmers will organize mass protests at Ukulima House to demand a review.
Farmers have pointed to the potential for higher earnings, citing that macadamia farmers in countries like Rwanda are achieving prices as high as Sh200 per kilogramme. They question why Kenya, with its significant revenue from macadamia, lags behind in ensuring fair prices for its farmers.
Since the temporary suspension, Kenya has exported over 60,000 tonnes of macadamia annually, with exports generating Sh8 billion. Despite this, only 40,000 tonnes are officially recorded by the government. The association’s Secretary General, John Ndirangu, has suggested the introduction of regulated harvesting seasons to prevent the marketing of immature nuts that adversely affect local produce.
The law was originally designed to encourage value addition within Kenya, but Ndirangu argues that it has instead led to consistently poor earnings for farmers over the past decade. Charity Nyawira, a local farmer, criticized legislators for their inaction and urged them to advocate for a review of the law to better support small-scale farmers.
John Njiru, the association’s Deputy Chairperson, has called for the macadamia sector to be included in the government’s broader agricultural strategies. He also advocates for subsidies similar to those given to other sectors to support production.
Njiru warned that if the government fails to lift the ban, prices for macadamia nuts could plummet to as low as Sh50 per kilogramme, and questioned why similar restrictive laws do not apply to other agricultural sectors. He contends that the macadamia sector has been neglected while other sectors receive governmental support.
As the suspension period nears its end, the farmers’ calls for change underscore a growing frustration with policies they believe are disadvantaging them and undermining the potential of Kenya’s macadamia industry. The threat of protests highlights the urgency of addressing the legislative issues impacting this vital agricultural sector.
