Macadamia is a multi-purpose forestry crop that contributes to improving people’s incomes and protecting the environment. Both domestic and international markets strongly favor Vietnamese macadamia products, creating a significant driving force for their development. This encourages Vietnamese macadamia enterprises and farmers to invest in production activities to achieve high economic efficiency.
To date, macadamia trees have been available in 29 provinces nationwide, with a total planted area of approximately 20,000 hectares. These plantations are mainly available in the Northwest and Central Highlands regions. Of this area, around 7,000 hectares are currently under harvest. Accordingly, the annual output is likely to reach nearly 9,000 tons of fresh nuts.
Vietnamese macadamia products
The primary markets for Vietnamese macadamia products are domestic consumption and exports to several countries. These countries include Japan, the Republic of Korea, and China.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, global demand for macadamia products continues to increase. By 2025, the global market is likely to require approximately 220,000 tons of macadamia kernels. This figure is equivalent to about 850,000 tons of fresh nuts.
There remains substantial potential to expand macadamia’s export market share in several countries. These markets include Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, the United States, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Based on statistical reports, in 2022 the total national output of Vietnamese macadamia products reached approximately 9,000 tons. Of this total, the Northwest region accounted for about 1,600 tons. Meanwhile, the Central Highlands reached over 6,600 tons and other regions reached approximately 396 tons.
In recent years, the macadamia production and processing sector in Viet Nam has achieved positive results.
Macadamia cultivation has expanded rapidly in both area and output, creating jobs and increasing incomes for producers. At the same time, it has contributed to socio-economic development. In addition, it has supported environmental protection, particularly in mountainous areas, remote and disadvantaged regions, and areas inhabited by ethnic minority communities.
Fresh macadamia from Vietnam
However, in some localities, macadamia development has been spontaneous by short-term trends. In many cases, farmers have implemented without proper technical procedures. In addition, macadamia has been available in areas with unsuitable climatic and soil conditions, using varieties of unclear origin, including seed-grown plants. As a result, many plantations exhibit poor growth and low yields.
Another major limitation is that macadamia processing in Viet Nam remains relatively basic, with products lacking refinement and high quality. Product markets have not yet sufficiently expanded. Moreover, there is a lack of coherent mechanisms and policies to encourage and attract investment from farmers and enterprises in macadamia development.
Therefore, it is essential to establish clear orientations and solutions for the sustainable development of Vietnamese macadamia products in the coming period. The aim is to make macadamia one of the country’s key multi-purpose crops and to enhance incomes for farmers and enterprises. In doing so, it will also contribute to socio-economic development and environmental protection.
This will also help ensure political stability and social order and safety, particularly in mountainous and border areas. In addition, it will position Vietnam as one of the world’s leading countries in the cultivation, processing, and export of macadamia products.
To secure raw material supplies for commercial activities and export, it is necessary to establish nationwide production linkages along the macadamia value chain. These linkages connect enterprises with farmers from cultivation and processing to product consumption.
In the Northwest provinces, various value-chain linkage models have developed. In these models, enterprises provide seedlings and technical guidance. Meanwhile, farmers contribute land and labor for planting, cultivation, harvesting and preliminary processing. Vietnamese export enterprises then purchase the products under market-based pricing or profit-sharing arrangements as agreed.
Vietnamese macadamia boxes
At present, Vietnamese macadamia products of domestic enterprises have diversified in range. Also, they are available in most provinces and cities nationwide. These products are available in the distribution system through agents and nearly 3,000 supermarkets.
In addition, Vietnamese macadamia exports have been available in several markets. These include the Republic of Korea, China, Japan, and a number of countries in the Middle East.
Professor Nguyen Lan Hung is the Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Macadamia Association. According to him, investment in Vietnamese macadamia trees has generated significant economic value for ethnic minority communities. This aligns with the State’s policy of promoting economic development based on regional comparative advantages in order to achieve sustainable poverty reduction.
Currently, in the Northwest and Central Highlands regions, many localities are harvesting and selling fresh macadamia nuts at prices ranging from VND 150–200 million per hectare. In contrast, farmers growing maize, sweet potatoes, or cassava earn only VND 10–15 million per hectare.
Moreover, macadamia trees can be intercropped with tea, coffee, and other crops without reducing their quality or yields. This practice delivers high economic value through the simultaneous harvesting of multiple crops on the same land area.
Vietnamese source: https://nhandan.vn/day-manh-san-xuat-kinh-doanh-cac-san-pham-mac-ca-post751714.html