Confusion has gripped the macadamia sector after the government outlawed export of their raw nuts to the foreign markets.
Already, the farmers are feeling the pitch after the price of the lucrative commodity has dropped from Sh140 per kilogramme to between Sh 110 and Sh90 per kilogramme.
The fluctuating price follows a directive by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Thursday last week in a meeting attended by the traders in the nut sector and officials from the Ministry.
Across Mt Kenya, the farmers are disillusioned following notification by the agents that from March 1, the price of nuts will be at Sh110 per kilogramme.
In Mathioya, Harrison Mugi said the price has fallen to Sh90, after the Chinese stopped buying.
In Tigania west, the farmers led by their MCA Mwenda Ithili said they will not accept anything less than Sh140 as it has been.
On Saturday, he said, the growers were dissatisfied with the barring of the export of the in-shell, saying the decision by Kagwe will affect the sector negatively.
“The Meru macadamia farmers have reached our brother, Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki pleading with him to have the directive reversed for the interest of the farmers,” said Mhe Mwenda.
Chairman of Nutak Johnson Kihara said the barring of the export of the inshell will frustrate the farmers in the country, as AFA has failed to adhere to the court order.
Kihara addressing a meeting said the directive by Kagwe was uncalled for as farmers awaited for the removal of the section 43 of the AFA act, which has been an impediment in the sector
He added that a meeting convened by Kagwe was planned by Macnut, who in the past have issued directives to AFA in matters pertaining the.macadamia sector.
Outlawing the inshell export, Kihara said, would plunge nut farming into chaos thus affecting the economy in the rural areas.
Peter Kiarie Mwangi, a farmer in Embu said the action by Kagwe will haunt the farmers, thus should be reversed, to save the sector from collapsing..
“Blocking the export of in-shell nuts is a major drawback to the sector, which remits billions of shillings annually,” said Mwangi.
Jedidah Wambui, a farmers leader in Nyeri said the government should be fair, and allow the containers of inshell in the stores for shipping.
“AFA declined to obey a court order issued in November last year that ordered it to stop interfering with the macadamia sector.,” said Ms Wambui.
A nut processor Maina Kiumi argued that the government was not to frustrate the sector that has been a bedrock to thousands of the growers.
Kiumi added that he has 20 containers lying in the warehouses after AFA and Kephis failed to issue an export license..
“The denial of the export license amounts to sabotage of the macadamia markets, as inshell attracts the Chinese,” said Kiumi.
Erick Mbaabu, a nut dealer from Meru said the nut prices in many of the regions have fallen following the directive by the CS, a move that will sabotage the sector .
Mbaabu moved to court but the orders from the judge were thrown away, over his interest for the macadamia farmers in the counties.
“For the first time in history, the government is fighting its own people, who generate revenue from the overseas markets,” said Mbaabu.
Harrison Mugi from Mathioya says the price has dropped from Sh150 to Sh90 per kilogramme of macadamia nuts.
” Ban of in shell with affect the sector negatively thus increase of poverty in the rural areas,” said Mugi
