Agri Kultuur October / Oktober 2018 | Page 14

Planning for the long game: macadamia trees are a 20 year investment S Author Institution outh Africa’s industry could be underprepared for the future macadamia market • • Changing consumer demands for macadamia nut styles and grades. Growth in new markets like ingredients sector Our export market may be exposed to China: 56% of South Africa’s crop exported to China., when Asia represents only 27% of global tree nut consumption. • What works here does not work there: different cultivars deliver varying outputs depending on region. 50% of trees planted in South Africa are Beaumont variety September 2018: Farming and establishing macadamia orchards is a long term investment. Trees take approximately 4-7 years to reach optimal yields, which tend to grow as the tree matures over the years, depending on management and cultivar performance by region. A Healthy macadamia orchard. Picture provided AgriKultuur |AgriCulture 14