North Coast female macadamia nut farmer breaks into surging industry

KwaZulu-Natal is on the cusp of witnessing a shift from cane farming to macadamia growing, so believes industry body Macadamias South Africa (SAMAC).

The province remains the fastest growing producer for a third year running.

South Africa is the strongest producer – 48 925 tonnes in 2020 – of the nut globally with a R4.8-billion export value in the same year, followed by Australia and Kenya.

In short, it is the money tree, capable of yielding an income of R375 000 per single hectare.

We spoke to Tammy Williams, the only female macadamia nut grower on the North Coast, who is seeing the fruits of her labour pay off.

Twelve years ago Williams started out as a receptionist at Sekela Estate Farm near King Shaka International Airport, where her husband oversees the management of 5 farms, owned by his brother-in-law, Gillespie Armstrong.

Bored with reception work, Williams took an interest in farming and learned what she could. Armstrong soon recognised her potential and asked her to manage a banana farming operation.

It turned out that she had the knack for farming and took over the management of several farms and in 2013, she expanded operations to include macadamia.

Today, Williams has grown the macadamia farm into a 140Ha operation. The average cost to start up a hectare of macadamia ranges around R100 000.

Recalling her first few farmers’ meetings, Tammy said she was often the only woman in a male-driven enterprise.

But the men were always welcoming and shared their knowledge and experience with her.

“Now, when I attend any meetings there are more and more female farmers.”

Lizel Pretorius, CEO at SAMAC said the North Coast proved to provide suitable ground and growing conditions over the South Coast, hence the increase in the number of macadamia farming operations across the region.

Grower membership saw an increase in 2020, totalling 806 growers – a 63% increase, according to SAMAC.

More and more sugarcane farmers are adding macadamia to their operations as a diversification option owing to a shift in the export value of sugar.

Sugar’s export value for 2020 had already been surpassed by the nut, with sugar yielding R4.4-billion.

Anthony Goble, a North Coast local who farms in the Upper Tongaat area also serves as vice chair and director of research and development at SAMAC.

Some 14 years ago he started out with a mere 6Ha of macadamia, which he has grown to around 220Ha.

Goble said he expected a good harvest from his macadamia this year, which serves as a diversification option for himself and other cane growers.

Goble has a 2 300Ha sugarcane operation.

Tammy said growing macadamia takes patience, and that it was all about timing.

“It takes between 5 to 7 years, depending on the variety, for the trees to become productive. These trees need yearly pruning in order for light to get in, increasing flower growth.”

They started out with a mere 9Ha in their first year, and then expanded to 22Ha in their second – their largest expansion was in 2017, some 45Ha.

She hopes to expand by a further 15 before the year is done, with an ultimate goal of 300Ha in the next 5 years.

“When we first started out we had no idea if the markets were going to be able to handle the quantity of what was being planted and produced – who knows where we will be in 10 years’ time. On average, one gets 12kgs of dry-in-shell macadamia per tree.

First introduced in the early 60s, macadamia farming has grown exponentially since, with KwaZulu-Natal recording 5 351 hectares of new macadamia trees being planted in 2020.

Earliest available figures date back to 1991, when South Africa produced only 1 211 tonnes of the nut.

SAMAC predicts an 11% production increase for 2021 from last year’s 48 925 tonnes – that amounts to some 54 174.

Over the last 5-years, production had increased from 38 000 tonnes to 48 925.

The South African macadamia industry is export-based, with 98% of annual production being shipped to international markets.

Tammy Williams also makes her own delicious macadamia and banana cake – here’s the recipe

Ingredients:
6 Large and very ripe bananas
250g Light brown sugar
3 Eggs
3 Teaspoons vanilla
160ml of oil
100ml Vanilla Greek yoghurt
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lime
410g Flour
3 Quarter tablespoon of baking powder
One and a half teaspoons of baking soda
20g Coconut
220g Toasted macadamia

Directions:
Toast your nuts for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius, keep shaking the pan and allow to cool.

Put these nuts into a blender and blitz to the consistency you like.

Use 190g in the recipe, and keep 30g to sprinkle on top prior to baking.

Now, simply combine all your wet ingredients and then sift in the dry ingredients, mix these until combined.

Continue to bake at 180 degrees Celsius for an hour. Allow to cool off before adding icing.

Icing – Mix on a medium to low speed, between 3-5 minutes:
150g Butter
250g Cream cheese
1 Zest of lime
Juice of 3 limes
500g Sifted icing sugar

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