The government has warned foreign exporters against using Kenyan territory to route raw and unprocessed macadamia nuts, saying the move violates national laws.
In a statement issued on Friday, July 18, 2025, the Director General of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Bruno Linyuru, said the export of raw macadamia nuts is strictly prohibited under Kenyan law.
“In recent weeks, several consignments of raw macadamia nuts alleged to be in transit through Kenya have been intercepted at various border points,” Linyuru said.
“These interceptions are in line with the enforcement of the Crop Act, 2013 and the Crops (Nuts and Oil Crops) Regulations, 2020, which seek to protect the local nut processing industry and promote value addition.”
He added that the restrictions apply regardless of the country of origin of the produce.
“Exporters from foreign states intending to trade in raw macadamia are therefore advised to use alternative foreign ports of exit and refrain from routing the produce through Kenya,” Linyuru said.
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