Macadamia farmers at the recent Green Farms Nuts Company (GFNC) price offer meeting heard that the processors were gearing up for top prices and a bumper harvest, despite a growing preference for the Australian nut-in-shell product.
GFNC CEO Allen Duncan said at the Umhlali Country Club meeting on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast that as this was an election year, the South African currency was likely to fluctuate, which could affect returns. However, the growing global demand for the crop meant pricing was still well above last year’s offering.
Duncan said the group would consult experts on an ongoing basis as was usual to manage risk on behalf of the growers and to secure the best returns for their crop.
Despite a growing preference for the Australian nut-in-shell crop, which Duncan attributed to Australia’s 0% import duty tariff against South Africa’s 12%, he said this country remained an origin of choice for high quality macadamias, with the in-shell market predicted to improve as the season progressed.
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- Andrew Waddell, vice chairman of the Australian Macadamia Society, chats over a cup of tea with KZN macadamia farmers Rob Hoatson and James Hoatson.
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- Andrew and Graeme Johnson with Laurie Brecher at the annual price offer meeting.
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- Sabrina Li, key account manager in China, and Beatriz Carmargo, sales and marketing manager for Latin America, are from Green & Gold Macadamias. The company is one of the largest marketers of processed macadamias in the world.
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- Macadamia farmers Alex Searle, left, and Steve de Ricquebourg.
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- Macadamia growers Kirsten and Philip Dickerson with Shayne McIntyre.
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- Frederik Coetzee and Impi Brecher browse through The Macadamia ahead of the recent GFNC price offer meeting at the Umhlali Country Club.
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- Listening to a presentation by GFNC CEO Allen Duncan are Cairine Whyte from GFNC and Brian Loader, Green & Gold Macadamias CEO and sales and marketing manager for America and Australasia.
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- Barry Christie from the Green Farms Nut Company with macadamia farmer William Davidson at the recent price offer meeting in KZN.
