Mozambique: Country bets on increasing macadamia exports

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Mozambique: Country bets on increasing macadamia exports

12:01 CAT | 13 Mar 2025

File photo: Noticias

Mozambique intends to increase exports of macadamia nuts, an emerging crop with high commercial value, especially in the Chinese market. To this end, national authorities have established a protocol valid for three years with the People’s Republic of China, aiming to facilitate the entry of this product into that Asian country free of customs fees.

The information was shared with ‘Notícias’ by Feliza Macome, director of the Central Almond Production Development Services at the Almond Institute of Mozambique. In addition to macadamia nuts, the protocol exempts two more products from customs duties on the Chinese market, namely pigeon peas and cashew nuts, which join a list of 400 national products already exported to that country duty free.

He noted that the subsector is working to implement the protocol through promotion of the crop and the enrolment of more producers in almond cultivation, an activity that is currently dominated by foreign investors.”The objective is to encourage nationals to produce, process and export almonds. We have experience of this in the provinces of Maputo and Niassa and we want others to embrace the opportunity,” Macome said.

He noted that last year, around 6,000 tons of macadamia were produced, most of which were exported to the South African market, at a price of US$5.00 per kilo on the international market. He mentioned that, currently, the country has 54 macadamia growers, 27 of them domestic.

The provinces of Manica, Niassa and Maputo have the largest concentration of commercial producers, ranging from 15 to 18, with plantations on more than 8,000 hectares. Macome noted that the sector was studying ways to regulate the commercialization of the crop similar to that found in the cashew sector.

The exemption of customs tariffs on the export of macadamia nuts and other products by China is part of efforts to increase trade between the two countries and stimulate economic growth by expanding access for Mozambican products in that market. The measure also aims to strengthen the national agricultural sector, as well as promote and diversify national exports. In addition to China and South Africa, Mozambique also exports macadamias to Vietnam.

Source: Noticias