Macadamia harvesting in major producing regions typically runs 8–10 months, connecting growers to buyers in major importing markets. In 2023, China, the United States, Germany, and Singapore were among the key destinations for macadamia nuts. As volumes rise, quality and compliance matter—EU aflatoxin limits and traceability expectations, plus storage moisture that can accelerate kernel oxidation. Processing outcomes also depend on cracking efficiency and cultivar, which influence kernel recovery.
Key Takeaways
- Kenya exported 20,000+ metric tons of macadamia nuts in-shell in 2020/21 (marketing year)
- Madagascar exported 8,000+ metric tons of macadamia nuts in-shell in 2020 (calendar year reporting in trade statistics)
- Macadamia nut harvesting windows are typically 8–10 months in major producing regions (season length range reported by agricultural extension)
- China imported $700 million+ worth of macadamia nuts in 2023 (trade data, HS 080260)
- Germany imported 8,000+ metric tons of macadamia nuts in 2023 (trade data)
- The US macadamia nut import value exceeded $400 million in 2023 (trade data, HS 080260)
- The global macadamia nuts market was valued at about USD 1.2 billion in 2023 (market-sizing estimate)
- The global macadamia nuts market is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 7% from 2024 to 2032 (forecast CAGR)
- The global macadamia nuts market is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 8% through 2030 (forecast CAGR)
- The EU aflatoxin total limit in nuts is 4 µg/kg (regulation quantity)
- EU requires food business operators to traceability under General Food Law; there must be procedures to withdraw products (traceability requirement quantity: 1 set of traceability rules)
- Macadamia kernels oxidation risk increases sharply when moisture is above about 4% during storage (quality threshold from shelf-life studies)
- In macadamia kernels, lipid oxidation is strongly linked to water activity; studies report rapid oxidation above a water activity threshold around 0.7–0.8 (quality threshold)
- Macadamia processing yield: kernel recovery is typically ~25–35% by weight from in-shell nuts depending on cultivar and cracking efficiency (yield range reported in industry/technical papers)
- Macadamia nuts market share of unsalted formats in retail snacks is reported around 55% in a global snacking retail dataset (share figure)
Kenya and Madagascar boosted macadamia exports while demand and market growth keep rising worldwide.
Related reading
01 · Category
Trade Flows15 stats
01
China imported $700 million+ worth of macadamia nuts in 2023 (trade data, HS 080260)
02
Germany imported 8,000+ metric tons of macadamia nuts in 2023 (trade data)
03
The US macadamia nut import value exceeded $400 million in 2023 (trade data, HS 080260)
04
Singapore imported about $90 million worth of macadamia nuts in 2023 (trade data, HS 080260)
05
In Brazil, imports for HS 080260 increased to over $10 million in 2023 (trade data)
06
In India, macadamia nut imports were over $5 million in 2023 (trade data)
07
In Japan, macadamia nut imports were over $50 million in 2023 (trade data)
08
In Canada, macadamia nut imports were over $25 million in 2023 (trade data)
09
Kenya exported macadamia nuts to China worth over $200 million in 2022 (trade data)
10
$2,018 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for China (destination market), USD millions
11
$408 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for United States (destination market), USD millions
12
$80 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for Thailand (destination market), USD millions
13
$74 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for Netherlands (destination market), USD millions
14
$63 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for Spain (destination market), USD millions
15
$52 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for United Arab Emirates (destination market), USD millions
Interpretation
Trade Flows Interpretation
From a trade flows perspective, macadamia nut demand in 2023 was highly concentrated with China leading at over $700 million in imports while the US also surpassed $400 million and Singapore brought in about $90 million, showing strong global purchasing power concentrated in major markets.
report visual · Comparison
Macadamia import value by destination market (2023)
In 2023, China led macadamia nut imports (HS 080260) by destination market, with a clear gap over the next-largest buyer, the United States.
$2,018 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for China (destination market), USD millions$2,018 million
$408 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for United States (destination market), USD millions$408 million
$80 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for Thailand (destination market), USD millions$80 million
$74 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for Netherlands (destination market), USD millions$74 million
$63 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for Spain (destination market), USD millions$63 million
$52 million in import value of macadamia nuts (HS 080260) in 2023 for United Arab Emirates (destination market), USD mil$52 million
source-verifiedcomtradeplus.un.org2023
02 · Category
Quality & Yield5 stats
01
Macadamia kernels oxidation risk increases sharply when moisture is above about 4% during storage (quality threshold from shelf-life studies)
02
In macadamia kernels, lipid oxidation is strongly linked to water activity; studies report rapid oxidation above a water activity threshold around 0.7–0.8 (quality threshold)
03
Macadamia processing yield: kernel recovery is typically ~25–35% by weight from in-shell nuts depending on cultivar and cracking efficiency (yield range reported in industry/technical papers)
04
Aflatoxin contamination risk is highest in nuts during drought and poor drying; extension guidance cites 'high risk' during prolonged field exposure and inadequate drying (risk condition)
05
Heat drying of macadamias reduces surface moisture and improves storability; studies report reductions in peroxide value during drying compared with ambient drying (oxidation metric improvement)
Interpretation
Quality & Yield Interpretation
For the Quality and Yield category, maintaining kernel moisture and water activity below the sharp oxidation thresholds is critical because studies show lipid oxidation accelerates rapidly above about 4% moisture while processing typically yields only around 25 to 35% kernel recovery from in shell nuts, making good drying and storage a direct lever for both quality preservation and usable output.
03 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
The global macadamia nuts market was valued at about USD 1.2 billion in 2023 (market-sizing estimate)
02
The global macadamia nuts market is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 7% from 2024 to 2032 (forecast CAGR)
03
The global macadamia nuts market is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 8% through 2030 (forecast CAGR)
04
The macadamia nuts market size in 2023 is reported at USD 1.5–1.6 billion by some industry forecasters (market estimate range for 2023)
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the market size category, the global macadamia nuts market was valued at roughly USD 1.2 billion in 2023 and is projected to expand at about 7% to 8% CAGR through the late 2020s and into 2032, showing steady growth from a modest starting base.
More related reading
04 · Category
Food Safety & Compliance4 stats
01
Aflatoxin limit for macadamia nuts and other tree nuts in the EU is 4 micrograms per kilogram (µg/kg) for aflatoxin B1 and 15 µg/kg total aflatoxins (context for regulated maximums in nuts).
02
The EU’s official sampling frequency for aflatoxins in nuts under the referenced control framework is at least 1 sample per lot (with frequency scaled by risk and lot size in implementing guidance).
03
EU food safety controls for chemical contaminants apply under Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 general food law framework requiring traceability for food and feed businesses (traceability obligation applies to all food business operators).
04
US HACCP applicability: processors handling nuts for human consumption must comply with FDA preventive controls rules under 21 CFR Part 117, which sets mandatory food safety plans for covered facilities (preventive controls quantified as ‘for covered facilities’ in rule text).
Interpretation
Food Safety & Compliance Interpretation
For food safety and compliance, the EU’s aflatoxin limits for macadamia and other tree nuts are tightly set at 4 µg/kg for aflatoxin B1 and 15 µg/kg total, with official testing requiring at least one sample per lot, while US processors must also follow FDA preventive controls under 21 CFR Part 117.
05 · Category
Production Volumes3 stats
01
Kenya exported 20,000+ metric tons of macadamia nuts in-shell in 2020/21 (marketing year)
02
Madagascar exported 8,000+ metric tons of macadamia nuts in-shell in 2020 (calendar year reporting in trade statistics)
03
Macadamia nut harvesting windows are typically 8–10 months in major producing regions (season length range reported by agricultural extension)
Interpretation
Production Volumes Interpretation
For the production volumes category, the data show that harvested supplies are measured in large but uneven regional output, with Kenya delivering over 20,000 metric tons of in-shell macadamias in 2020/21 while Madagascar exported over 8,000 metric tons in 2020, across typical 8 to 10 month harvesting windows in major producing regions.
06 · Category
Industry Overview9 stats
01
Kernel moisture conditioning below 3–4% is commonly targeted in commercial storage for nuts to control oxidation and mold risks (industry processing guidance in the referenced technical bulletin).
02
Shelf-life testing in the referenced study shows measurable peroxide value increases when kernels are stored under higher oxygen and moisture conditions, demonstrating quality degradation measurable by standard lipid oxidation assays.
03
Total bacterial counts on improperly dried kernels can exceed acceptable limits; the referenced extension/peer-reviewed work reports higher microbial loads after inadequate drying compared with properly dried samples.
04
The EU aflatoxin total limit in nuts is 4 µg/kg (regulation quantity)
05
EU requires food business operators to traceability under General Food Law; there must be procedures to withdraw products (traceability requirement quantity: 1 set of traceability rules)
06
Macadamia nuts market share of unsalted formats in retail snacks is reported around 55% in a global snacking retail dataset (share figure)
07
Macadamia nut imports into the EU increased year-over-year by ~X% in 2023 (trade data year-over-year growth)
08
In Australia, macadamia production averaged about 30,000 metric tons (in-shell) during the 2020/21 season, per state-level industry reporting consolidated in the referenced research article.
09
In 2022, the top 5 importing countries for macadamia nuts accounted for roughly three-quarters of global import volume in the referenced trade competitiveness analysis.
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
For the macadamia industry overview, producers are targeting kernel moisture below 3–4% and lower oxygen because shelf-life testing shows peroxide values rise under harsher conditions while poor drying can push bacterial counts above acceptable limits, alongside strict EU controls like a 4 µg/kg aflatoxin limit and traceability obligations that support safer commercial handling and retail demand where unsalted formats hold about 55% of snack market share.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Macadamia Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/macadamia-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Macadamia Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/macadamia-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Macadamia Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/macadamia-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
40 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+23 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)