Macadamia farms have isolated storm damage, with crop losses varying between 5% and 50%, but supply is still consistent following severe thunder storms over the weekend along the NSW North Coast, and Queensland. “Those farms that have been hit are badly affected, but at this stage the extent of the damage should not have a major affect on the Australian crop,” says Jolyon Burnett, CEO of the Australian Macadamia Society.
Thankfully the storms came after the record macadamia harvest reported recently, and off the back of a successful promotional campaign in China, where macadamia exports are set to boom. The major production area, the Alstonville Plateau, did not have significant damage according to initial reports. The hardest hit regions were Dunoon, Rosebank and Numulgi, Mr Burnett says.
Around 50 farms could have experienced damage from the storms, Mr Burnett estimates, and there should be no impact to exports or prices. “There is plenty of time for clean up before harvest and the damage does not appear widespread enough to affect the total crop.”
Even farmers who have to go through a major clean up will not have any trouble getting ready for the 2016 harvest, so the feeling among industry insiders is still a positive one, Mr Burnett says. “Demand is strong across all markets, both domestic and export and prices look to be remaining firm.”
Ultimately, while there have been some crop losses, it isn’t possible to quantify whether the 2016 harvest will be significantly down on 2015, Mr Burnett says. “There are still 3 months to go before harvest and a few weeks left of what is considered “storm” season, so it is too early to be making firm pronouncements on the 2016 crop.”
For more information visit the Australian Macadamia Society website: www.macadamias.org