Australian macadamia growers have produced a crop of 43,500 tonnes for the 2019 season, down from last year’s record of 49,300 tonnes because of dry conditions.
The Australian Macadamia Society (AMS) today announced the result is slightly higher than the industry’s previous forecast of 42,900 tonnes in-shell at 3.5 per cent moisture (46,000 tonnes at 10 per cent moisture).
The figure is based on actual factory receipts of the Australian Macadamia Handlers Association (AMHA) until the end of October.
AMS chief executive Jolyon Burnett said despite the impact of the unusually long, hot dry summer early in the year, harvest conditions throughout the 2019 season were favourable and kernel quality was very good.
“It’s still very early days, however it is likely that the 2020 Australian macadamia crop will be impacted by the continuing dry conditions in all growing regions,” Mr Burnett said.
“There is a degree of uncertainty about the 2020 crop, including the varied impacts the dry weather may have on different regions.”
The AMHA represents more than 90 per cent of all the macadamia crop in Australia.
