This archive report was first published on 5 June 2020.
Kenya's macadamia industry has experienced a significant turnaround in recent years, with the crop's price rising fourfold due to rising global demand.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the sector, with local demand plummeting and many farmers struggling to make ends meet.
According to Joseph Mwenda, an independent farmer in Meru County, the situation is dire, with many farmers forced to sell their nuts at very low prices.
'We have been expecting brokers to visit our farms but they are hardly coming,' Mwenda said. 'I was forced to desperately sell to a broker who showed up on my farm last week at Sh50 a kilo, which is too low since at one time I sold at Sh200. I did not have a choice.'
Erastus Murungi, a macadamia farmer in Tharaka-Nithi County, shared a similar experience, noting that non-contracted farmers have been left at the mercy of brokers.
Despite the challenges, some processors are working with contracted farmers to store nuts until the global market opens up again.
David Mugambi, a lecturer at Chuka University, has called for the promotion of macadamia nuts locally to boost production and alleviate the struggles faced by farmers.
