Kenya's Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) will reopen the harvesting and trading window for domestically produced macadamia nuts from February 1, 2026, following improvements in crop maturity in several production areas.
The window had been closed from December 1, 2025, to February 15, 2026, as part of a seasonal measure intended to protect kernel quality, oil content, and shelf life, and to support Kenya's position in export markets.
In a statement issued on January 29, AFA said it conducted targeted maturity surveillance between January 19 and 23 in major macadamia-growing counties. The inspections focused on assessing physiological maturity across different agro-ecological zones.
"The surveillance findings revealed variable maturity levels across agro-ecological zones," the authority stated. "Most nuts in lower-altitude coffee-growing zones had attained physiological maturity, with some mature nuts naturally dropping to the ground."
According to AFA, maturity levels differed between regions, with nuts in lower-altitude areas generally ready for harvest, while those in higher-altitude tea-growing zones remained largely immature. Differences were also observed between varieties, with some cultivars reaching harvest readiness earlier than others.
Based on these findings and consultations with industry stakeholders, AFA approved an earlier reopening of the harvest and trade window. The authority said the decision allows harvesting to resume in areas where maturity benchmarks have been met, while maintaining restrictions in zones where nuts remain immature.
AFA cautioned farmers and traders against premature harvesting, noting that immature nuts could affect quality parameters and limit access to export markets.
Kenya is among Africa's main macadamia-producing countries, with the crop contributing to export revenues and rural livelihoods. The authority said it will continue monitoring harvesting and trading activities to ensure compliance with maturity requirements and to support consistent product quality.
Further assessments will be carried out as the season progresses to track maturity development across the remaining growing areas.
Source: Capital Business
