Kenya → Switzerland and the Netherlands
Macadamia kernels
Kenya supplies roughly a quarter of the EU's imported macadamia kernels, at a discount to South Africa. Shipments rose sharply in 2026. Buyers decide on aflatoxin control, style mix and consistency.
- 2,807 tEU imports of shelled macadamia from Kenya in 2025, about 27% of imports from outside the EUSource
- +83%Kenyan shipments to the EU, January–July 2026 against the same months of 2025Source
- €10.34/kgKenya's average import value, January–July 2026, down from €11.60 a year earlierSource
What buyers usually ask for
- Aflatoxin results for every lot from an accredited laboratory
- Style breakdown: share of wholes, halves and pieces
- Moisture content and packaging (usually vacuum or nitrogen-flushed)
- Salmonella and other microbiological results
- A food safety certificate such as BRCGS, IFS or FSSC 22000
- Processor licence and traceability back to the farms or collection points
Documents typically requested per shipment
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Certificate of origin
- Laboratory analysis for aflatoxins and microbiology
Market signals
- South Africa supplied 53% of EU imports from outside the EU in 2025, at €12.07 per kg against Kenya's €11.09. Source
- Customs data puts all shelled kernels in one code, so value per kilogram mixes styles and grades. Part of Kenya's discount may reflect product mix rather than quality. Source
- Kenya prohibits the export and transit of raw, in-shell macadamia under the Crops Act and its 2020 nut regulations. Kernels come from licensed processors. Source
Rules to watch
- Macadamia from Kenya is not on the EU list of increased border checks. Source
- Ghanaian groundnuts face aflatoxin checks on 50% of consignments, which shows how one product's record can affect an origin. Source
- Kenya's crop authority closed macadamia harvesting and trading from 1 December 2025 to 15 February 2026 to protect quality. Ask suppliers about any closed season before agreeing delivery dates. Source
- Macadamia is not covered by the EU deforestation regulation (EUDR).
If you supply macadamia kernels
- Document your wholes-and-halves ratio by lot; it is the strongest argument against the discount
- Keep a lab aflatoxin result for every lot
- Show your processor licence and your farmer sourcing records
A Trust Passport records each of these with its evidence level, so buyers see what is checked and what is not.
Sources
- Eurostat Comext, dataset DS-045409 (EU trade by CN8), extracted 12 Oct 2026
- The Standard (18 Jul 2025): Kenya enforces ban on exports and transit of raw macadamia nuts
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1206 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1793
- Business Daily (11 Nov 2025): Kenya halts macadamia harvesting and trade, 1 Dec 2025 to 15 Feb 2026
Figures as of 12 October 2026. Value per kilogram is customs value divided by net mass, a price signal rather than a transaction price. This page is market information, not legal advice; check requirements with the competent authority before shipping.
Buying or selling macadamia kernels?
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