Kenya’s macadamia farmers overcome market hurdles and embrace export growth

A worker sorts out shelled macadamia nuts in Sagana, Kirinyaga County, Kenya, Oct. 25, 202. (Photo by Chrispinus Omar/Xinhua) For James Kariuki, a macadamia farmer in central Kenya since 1997, cultivating macadamia nuts has been a double-edged sword. While the crop promises high yields and potential income, the journey from harvest to market is fraught with challenges. NAIROBI, Nov.(Xinhua) — For James Kariuki, a macadamia farmer in central Kenya since 1997, cultivating macadamia nuts has been a double-edged sword. While the crop promises high yields and potential income, the journey from harvest to market is fraught with challenges. Kariuki, like many of his peers, remembers how middlemen often dictated prices, exploiting unregulated markets to take advantage of small-scale producers. “Middlemen would wait until the last minute when I was desperate to sell, and then offer prices far below market value,” he told Xinhua during a recent interview at his farm. “They know when you ...