New Zealands Macadamia Industry

New Zealand's Macadamia Industry is currently unable to meet domestic demand for macadamia nuts. This means that New Zealand has to import macadamia supplies from Australia and other countries. The majority of imported nuts are second grade, however because they are considered the most luxurious of all nuts available they still command the highest price. Just imagine your investment returns for supplying fresh, quality New Zealand macadamias.

       NZ imports 20-30% more macadamias than it produces - what an opportunity for import replacement!!  

New Zealand imports macadamia kernel, NIS and processed products because we do not have sufficient domestic supplies. Most New Zealand orchards are small lifestyle blocks planted mainly in the ‘Beaumont' variety; a high labour, low kernel recovery tree. The low kernel recovery coupled with the high labour harvesting costs (handpicking), limits and restricts commercial viability with inadequate supplies to meet market demands.

Summary - The NZ Macadamia Society (NZMS) 2002 member survey identified 12 processors and 69,655 trees averaging a low 2kg NIS per tree being 41,793kg kernel at 30% recovery, produced in NZ in 2002. In that same year (2002-03) New Zealand imported 60,356kg kernel plus 25,768kg NIS just from Australia. 

The Australian Macadamia Society (AMS) 2002 survey considered 10 Processors too many for their 5 million trees. 99% of their varieties are droppers with the world's best kernel recovery. These are the varieties that TML is trialling for NZ conditions.

The market opportunity presents itself for Growers and Investors
TML recognised the opportunity more than a decade ago and is well prepared to support and lead the growth of a new mechanised macadamia industry based on trialled and proven, commercially viable dropping varieties.

TML is also working towards establishing a national growers Co-Operative for a more cohesive and successful grower-owned and controlled industry. This allows new growers to obtain the added-value benefit of their products rather than Processors and marketers as in most other primary industries.