Australia's macadamias growers are cranking up their mechanical harvesters and gearing up for the harvest as mature nuts fall to the ground across subtropical orchards in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.
The first forecast of the season is 46,750 tonnes in-shell, representing a 4 per cent increase in production from 2015.
Husband and wife duo Katherine and Nic Emery, who operate a 4000 tree macadamia orchard in Wolvi, near Gympie, said growers are once again rolling up their sleeves to deliver another season of one of Australia’s most-loved nuts.
“Growers are usually harvesting from now until around August depending on weather conditions. Once the nuts are collected, they go to the factory for processing. The husk is removed then the nuts go through a three week drying process to reduce moisture to 1.5 per cent. From there, they go into the cracker, are packed into special oxygen-free bags and stored in a humidity controlled environment,” Nic said.
Jolyon Burnett, CEO of the Australian Macadamia Society, said the upcoming crop looks positive with growers hitting the macadamia harvest with enthusiasm.
“Our farmers are incredibly dedicated, passionate people who will harvest macadamia nuts for the next six months and are tackling this time of year with optimism.”
“This season we’re hoping the mix of warm temperatures, ample sunlight and just enough rain will produce some top-notch nuts and we have our fingers crossed that we’re in for a great year,” said Mr Burnett.
Australian macadamias are one of the few foods that can be found in many different aisles of the supermarket, from fresh nuts to muesli and cereals to snack bars, confectionery, bakery products, frozen desserts and ice creams, oils and even skin care and beauty products.
Macadamias are versatile and delicious in both sweet and savoury dishes. They are an essential part of a healthy diet, offering the highest amount of good fats of any nut. They are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge to preserve their freshness.
