An economic expert, Hannock Ngwata has urged the government to leverage the presence of private investors to boost Malawi’s macadamia nut exports in a bid to generate more foreign exchange.

Ngwata made the remarks today following an announcement by the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) that Tropha Estates Limited has exported 250 metric tonnes of macadamia nuts to China.

The development comes a year after Malawi signed a phytosanitary protocol with China, paving the way for Malawian macadamia nuts to access the Chinese market.

"The government has to work hand in hand with the private sector as it has the capability of growing the economy as seen in this macadamia nut. Mind you China has opened its doors for Malawi to send its agricultural produce to the country," said Ngwata.

Ministry of Trade spokesperson, Patrick Botha has welcomed the development, saying the government has been engaging the private sector to promote the macadamia industry, with several agreements already signed to support its growth.

"We are working with the private sector to develop and invest in the Macadamia sector as you have seen with some Banks that are putting in their resources to the sector. we should be excited with the progress registered," said Botha. 

The achievement builds on Tropha Estates’ pioneering contribution to Malawi’s agricultural sector. The company developed Malawi’s first fully irrigated commercial macadamia farm and was also the first in the country to trial the MCT1 macadamia variety on a commercial scale. 

Tropha Estates Limited Managing Director Duncan McDavid described the shipment of the macadamia nuts as progress stressing bthe company's commitment in such a deal.

"This is an important milestone for Tropha, but more importantly it demonstrates the opportunity for Malawi to expand its agricultural exports into one of the world’s largest markets. We hope this shipment is the start of a growing and sustainable trade relationship that creates further opportunities for Malawi’s macadamia industry and wider agricultural sector," said McDavid.

He has also acknowledged the support of the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC), the Malawi Value Chains Programme and various Government agencies in facilitating market access and establishing the necessary export procedures. 

Acting Director General of MITC, Mr Bisa Namarika, said the achievement demonstrates the importance of translating phytosanitary agreements and market access arrangements into tangible export opportunities for Malawian businesses.

"We commend Tropha Estates for pioneering this shipment and contributing to the growth of Malawi’s agricultural exports. MITC remains committed to supporting exporters to navigate export procedures, understand international market-entry requirements and take advantage of opportunities in global markets," he said.

Malawi is the third-largest producer of macadamia nuts in Africa and seventh globally, accounting for approximately three percent of global production, with about $23.5 million generated annually, according to the World Bank.