Hunan welcomes first Kenyan macadamia shipment as ag trade with Africa expands

KENYA – Hunan Province has received its first shipment of macadamia nuts from Kenya this year, signaling a strengthening of agricultural trade between China and Africa.

Yongzhou’s Customs Authority confirmed that follow-up inspection procedures for the batch were completed this month.

“Kenya’s macadamia nuts are favored by Chinese consumers for plump kernels and delicate taste,” said a spokesperson for the importer, as quoted by the provincial government. The 54-tonne shipment, sourced directly from African suppliers, took about 30 days to reach Yongzhou.

Once in Hunan, the nuts will be graded using automated equipment before processing into a range of flavored snacks, including creamy and mustard varieties, for distribution in the domestic market.

Du Xiaohui, Director-General of the Department of African Affairs at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shared his remarks on X, stating, “Glad to see 54 tons of Kenyan macadamia nuts arrived in Hunan, which is the first batch of nut products imported from Africa to Hunan Province this year. Total imports of this delicious nut is expected to reach 2,000 tons this year. Chinese market welcomes Kenyan products!”

Provincial authorities project that macadamia imports to Hunan could total around 2,000 tonnes by the end of the year. Yongzhou Customs has stepped up efforts to encourage the import of kernel-only nuts rather than in-shell versions.

Officials have introduced a “one-on-one” enterprise liaison mechanism to provide early support, along with a green channel for expedited review and inspection.

In Changsha, customs officials have rolled out a “pre-evaluation system for market access for African food to China.” This approach, the first of its kind nationwide, aims to speed up the green channel process for African agricultural and food products entering China.

Kenya’s domestic push for oil crop production

The shipment’s arrival comes as Kenya intensifies efforts to increase its domestic edible oil crop production.

The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) is rolling out the Sh981 million Edible Oil Crops Promotion Project (EOCPP), which began in July 2023 and runs through 2028. The goal is to raise local output from 34 percent of demand to 50 percent.

In early August, AFA worked with Nakuru County to distribute 5,000 kilograms of canola seeds to 600 farmers, covering 1,250 acres this rainy season.

“Canola works well in rotation, improving soil health, suppressing pests, and increasing yields of cereals like wheat and barley,” said Nakuru Agriculture CECM Leonard Bor.

Kenya currently imports most of its edible oil, largely palm oil from Southeast Asia, at an annual cost of about Sh160 billion.

AFA’s Director of Crop Resources, Douglas Kangi, highlighted the strong market for sunflower by-products in animal feed. He urged farmers to consider household-level oil extraction to improve returns.

Hunan’s growing imports of African agricultural goods, valued at 160 million CNY in the first half of the year, reflect both sides’ drive to deepen agricultural links, with macadamia nuts and oil crops now part of a wider trade and production story.

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