Australian macadamia growers seem to have recovered from the record rains and flooding in NSW and South East Queensland earlier this year. They are about to produce a higher than anticipated crop of 52,974 tons in-shell at 3.5% moisture (56,800 tons in-shell at 10% moisture).
Growers in the NSW Northern Rivers region experienced lower losses and higher yields than expected, while new plantings in the largest growing region of Bundaberg contributed to increased crop in that area.
According to Australian Macadamias CEO Clare Hamilton-Bate, the intense weather systems along Australia’s east coast from late February to early April significantly delayed harvest in the affected regions, with many growers unable to access their orchards.
“The delayed harvest also made forecasting extremely difficult,” said Ms Hamilton-Bate. “The industry revised its original forecast down to 49,340 tons in-shell at 3.5% moisture (52,900 tons in-shell at 10% moisture) in April following the flooding.”
Source: trade.australian-macadamias.org