There is unrest in Kenya's macadamia sector due to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) not issuing the necessary certifications for exporters. Despite a court order, the AFA has not provided the essential certification, causing concern among nut farmers and dealers. The lack of certification is preventing the release of consignments to the market, with many containers of nuts currently stranded in warehouses. The Nut Traders Association of Kenya's chairman, Johnson Kihara, highlighted the potential for substantial losses if the situation persists.
A High Court judge, Lawrence Mugambi, extended the export order for in-shell nuts to February 18, after a petition by Eric Mbaabu Mwirigi and Edenswin Traders Limited. This extension follows a previous suspension of the harvest and export ban, which was initially set until December 6, then extended to February 18 for further directions. The court also extended the prohibition against outlawing the harvesting of macadamia nuts from November 2 to March 1, 2025, to the same date.
Mwirigi expressed his intention to take legal action against the Agriculture CS and AFA Director-General for not complying with the court's directive to allow exports. He warned that failure to resolve the issue could negatively impact the price of nuts for farmers. The court had previously prohibited the CS and the AG from interfering with the rights of macadamia farmers, traders, and exporters regarding the possession and export of in-shell macadamia nuts.
Source: The Standard