Macadamia Nuts
Malawi Macadamia nuts are well known for their quality and high oil content. Macadamia was first commercially grown in Malawi on tea estates in the 1960s. Macadamia trees make an ideal smallholder crop as are drought tolerant and do not need inorganic fertiliser.
Macadamia trees take ten to fifteen years to fully mature, but produce their first nuts in the third year after planting. The slow growth brings the advantage of a long life.
Trade Connections has been working with NESMAC co-operative in Malawi. Malawi’s golden Macadamia nuts are luxuriously oily in quality and have a rich taste making them great as a snack and in desserts and baking. The oil produced by macadamia nuts can be used for cooking and in the long term could be processed for beauty products.
Trade Connections has helped link this Malawian co-operative with Just Trading Scotland and Equal Exchange.