June 2025 — Nelspruit, South Africa
Macadamias South Africa NPC (SAMAC) engaged in a valuable discussion with the USDA, FAS (Pretoria) to address the 10% tariff introduced in April on our macadamia industry, and the uncertainty surrounding the potential 30% duty looming after the 90-day pause.
We had the opportunity to brief Mr. Oliver Flake (Minister Counsellor for Agriculture Affairs), Mr. Samuel Driggers (Agricultural Attaché), and Ms. Masego Moobi (Agricultural Specialist) on the South African macadamia sector’s vital role in our economy.
From left: Samuel Driggers (Agricultural Attaché), Kerisha Raghunandan (SAMAC Market Access & Development Manager), Oliver Flake (Minister Counsellor for Agriculture Affairs), Masego Moobi (Agricultural Specialist), Lizel Pretorius (SAMAC CEO) and Marnus Erasmus (SAMAC Senior Data Analyst).
Value-add to the U.S. Market
Emphasis was placed on South Africa’s premium-quality supply complementing rather than competing with U.S. (Hawaiian) production. The group acknowledged the value-add South African macadamia brings to the U.S as a key ingredient in many iconic American food products. A farm visit and processor tour were also held in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga to further demonstrate the innovation and investment in the industry.
SAMAC remains committed to advocating for tariff reductions to support sustainable trade and ensure global competitiveness for our growers.
