Cashew nuts processors currently buying nuts in Coast province expect business to boom this season following a government ban on the export of raw cashew nuts. Over 65 per cent of the cashew nuts produced in the region that was exported as in-shell nuts to China, Hong Kong and India before the ban will now be available to the processors, industry say. “We expect to collect about 7,000 metric tonnes of nuts this season and have seven vehicles ready,” Mr James Ndegwa, Kenya Nuts field officer said, adding that half such amount was collected last year.
Mr Ndegwa said the company has so far bought 500 tonnes since the peak season began last month, which is expected to last to go up to April. New players have emerged following the ban , with four main processors focusing in the region. They are Millennium Nut, Wonder Nut, Equatorial Nuts Processors (ENP) and Kenya Nuts Ltd.
Before the ban, the main processors in the region were Kenya Nuts and Equatorial Nuts, both with factories in Central province where the plants alternate in processing macadamia and cashew nuts whose seasons complement each other. The Equatorial Nuts general manager, Mr Johnson Muhara, said his company expects to collect about 2,000 tonnes from the region this year, which is a huge improvement compared to last year. Millennium Nuts and Wonder Nuts are expected to buy a combined 5,000 tonnes. The government banned the export of raw nuts mid this year on the advice of a task force appointed by Agriculture minister William Ruto. In Tanzania, the government buys all the nuts, which is later auctioned to the processors. Mr Muhara said a regulator in Kenya would set standards and how much farmers should get for their produce.
Mr Ndegwa said the company has so far bought 500 tonnes since the peak season began last month, which is expected to last to go up to April. New players have emerged following the ban , with four main processors focusing in the region. They are Millennium Nut, Wonder Nut, Equatorial Nuts Processors (ENP) and Kenya Nuts Ltd.
Before the ban, the main processors in the region were Kenya Nuts and Equatorial Nuts, both with factories in Central province where the plants alternate in processing macadamia and cashew nuts whose seasons complement each other. The Equatorial Nuts general manager, Mr Johnson Muhara, said his company expects to collect about 2,000 tonnes from the region this year, which is a huge improvement compared to last year. Millennium Nuts and Wonder Nuts are expected to buy a combined 5,000 tonnes. The government banned the export of raw nuts mid this year on the advice of a task force appointed by Agriculture minister William Ruto. In Tanzania, the government buys all the nuts, which is later auctioned to the processors. Mr Muhara said a regulator in Kenya would set standards and how much farmers should get for their produce.
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