Overall, exports of macadamia nuts dropped in sales by an average -19.7% since five years earlier 2021 when export revenues for macadamia nuts totaled $941.7 million.
Year over year, worldwide export revenues for the rich and buttery tasting nuts grew by 4.5% compared to $723.8 million in exports during 2024.
Fresh or dried macadamia nuts in shell accounted for 32.6% of total export sales in 2025, compared to the remaining 67.4% collected in revenues for exported fresh or dried macadamia nuts that have been shelled. The share for shelled macadamia nuts increased from 59.3% for 2024.
Raw macadamia nut seeds come from the fruits of macadamia trees–a genus noted for relatively shallow roots. This attribute makes macadamia trees susceptible to destruction by storm winds.
Macadamia nuts are rich in selenium, a valued antioxidant that bolsters the quality of blood flow, resistance to disease, and defends against inflammation.
Wide-scale commercial products of macadamias began during the 1880s in Hawaii when Australian seeds were planted. Outpacing Australia since the 2010s, South Africa is now the world’s biggest producers of macadamia nuts.
Macadamia nuts are the world’s costliest nut in part due to a slow harvesting cycle.
Interestingly, macadamias can be toxic to dogs. In contrast, macadamia nuts are often fed to large parrots in captivity since these birds are one of the few animals capable of cracking the macadamia nut’s shell in order to eat the seed inside.
Major Suppliers of Macadamia Nuts on Global Markets
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of macadamia nuts are South Africa, Australia, Kenya, Vietnam and Malawi. Collectively, that cohort of major suppliers sold 80.4% of all shelled and unshelled macadamias exported during 2025 as measured by value.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Africa supplied the highest dollar worth of exported macadamia nuts during 2025 with shipments valued at $440.5 million or 58.3% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Oceania (20.4%) led by Australia, trailed by international sellers in Asia (10.1%), Europe (7.2%), Latin America (2.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then North America (1.2%) mostly the United States of America.
Most Valuable Customers for Imported Macadamia Nuts
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of macadamia nuts in 2025 were the mainland China, United States of America, Germany, Vietnam and Japan. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought just over two-thirds (67.9%) of globally imported macadamia nuts as measured by dollar value (a total US$810.5 million).
The above percentages suggest exporters of macadamia nuts (80.4% for the corresponding top 5 out of 70 exporters) is a more concentrated group compared to almost 125 importing countries, islands and territories. Specifically, the top 5 importers accounted for a smaller portion of its world total for imported macadamia nuts at the aforementioned 67.9%.
As for global imports of macadamia nuts distributed by continent, 48.2% of macadamia nuts purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Asia. In second place were importers in Europe (25.3%), North America (15.8%), Africa (6.8%), Oceania (3.7%) led by New Zealand, then Latin America (0.2%).
Average Unit Prices by Type of Macadamia Nuts
We calculated the average unit price paid by importers of macadamia nuts still in-shell to be $2,463 per ton in 2025. That dollar amount reflects 7.4% in inflation from the average tonnage rate of $2,293 during 2024.
Imports of shelled macadamia nuts demand a higher unit price. For shelled macadamia nuts, the average unit price paid by importers was $12,357 per ton in 2025 accelerating by 21.4% from the average tonnage rate of $10,931 for 2024. In part, the higher average costs for shelled nuts result from shelling labor costs and other processing expenses.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080261 for fresh or dried macadamia nuts in shell, and 080262 for fresh or dried shelled macadamia nuts.
Top Macadamia Nuts Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of macadamia nuts during 2025, regardless of whether the shipped macadamia nuts were in-shell or shelled.
- South Africa: US$290.5 million (38.4% of exported macadamia nuts)
- Australia: $154.4 million (20.4%)
- Kenya: $90.4 million (12%)
- Vietnam: $44.1 million (5.8%)
- Malawi: $28.5 million (3.8%)
- mainland China: $26.3 million (3.5%)
- Netherlands: $25.8 million (3.4%)
- Guatemala: $20.4 million (2.7%)
- Mozambique: $12.6 million (1.7%)
- Germany: $11.9 million (1.6%)
- United States: $8.7 million (1.1%)
- Zimbabwe: $8.5 million (1.1%)
- Belgium: $8.5 million (1.1%)
- Zambia: $6.3 million (0.8%)
- Singapore: $3.3 million (0.4%)
- Rwanda: $2.4 million (0.3%)
- Spain: $2.3 million (0.3%)
- Greece: $1.9 million (0.3%)
- Myanmar: $742,000 (0.1%)
- Canada: $718,000 (0.1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 98.9% of globally exported macadamia nuts in 2025.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing macadamia nuts exporters since 2024 were: Myanmar (up 205.3%), Belgium (up 204.9%), Rwanda (up 110.6%) and Zambia (up 106.6%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported macadamia nuts sales were: United States of America (down -40.4% from 2024), mainland China (down -26.9%), Australia (down -5.8%), Zimbabwe (down -2%) and South Africa (down -0.9%).
Top Macadamia Nuts Imported by Country
Overall spending on imported macadamia nuts at $810.5 million expanded by 3.7% over the 5-year period starting from $781.4 million in 2021 and accelerated by 19.5% year-over-year gain compared to $678.4 million for 2024.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of macadamia nuts imported during 2025, for any macadamia nuts regardless of whether shelled or not.
- Germany: US$276.7 million (34.1% of imported macadamia nuts)
- United States: $152.5 million (18.8%)
- Japan: $41.8 million (5.2%)
- Taiwan: $40.4 million (5%)
- Netherlands: $38.8 million (4.8%)
- mainland China: $33.4 million (4.1%)
- Australia: $25.9 million (3.2%)
- Austria: $23 million (2.8%)
- Spain: $20.9 million (2.6%)
- South Korea: $19.8 million (2.4%)
- Poland: $12.7 million (1.6%)
- Belgium: $11.6 million (1.4%)
- Vietnam: $11.2 million (1.4%)
- Thailand: $9.9 million (1.2%)
- Israel: $7.5 million (0.9%)
- Switzerland: $6.5 million (0.8%)
- United Kingdom: $6.1 million (0.8%)
- Saudi Arabia: $6 million (0.7%)
- Singapore: $5.43 million (0.7%)
- France: $5.4 million (0.7%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 93.2% of globally imported macadamia nuts in 2025.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing macadamia nuts importers since 2024 were: Israel (up 178.8%), Australia (up 155.3%), Belgium (up 96%) and Austria (up 62.4%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported macadamia nuts purchases were: Poland (down -70.7% from 2024), mainland China (down -29.2%), Vietnam (down -14%), Thailand (down -12.9%) and the United Kingdom (down -9.2%).
Imported In-Shell Macadamia Nuts: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices
In 2025, the world’s average unit price for imports of in-shell macadamia nuts was US$2,463 per ton. That average metric was up 7.4% from $2,293 per ton for 2024.
The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of unshelled macadamia nuts, mainland China, was much higher at $3,151 per ton for 2025.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported in-shell macadamia nuts in 2025.
- Kyrgyzstan: US$413 per ton (up 2% from 2024)
- Rwanda: $500 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Kazakhstan: $514 per ton (down -31.8%)
- Kenya: $795 per ton (down -46.4%)
- Guyana: $1,000 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Pakistan: $1,000 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Mozambique: $1,029 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Bulgaria: $1,564 per ton (down -86.7%)
- Australia: $1,731 per ton (up 3.5%)
- Bermuda: $1,833 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Thailand: $1,925 per ton (up 49%)
- South Africa: $2,184 per ton (up 19.5%)
- Albania: $2,298 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Malawi: $2,365 per ton (down -33.1%)
- Uzbekistan: $2,600 per ton (up 1588.3%)
Reductions in average unit price per ton for in-shell macadamia nuts were paid by customers in Bulgaria (down -86.7% from 2024), Kenya (down -46.4%), Malawi (down -33.1%) then Kazakhstan (down -31.8%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported in-shell macadamia nuts.
- Philippines: US$23,000 per ton (up 144.7% from 2024)
- Maldives: $20,500 per ton (down -37.9%)
- Austria: $20,000 per ton (down -39.4%)
- Greece: $17,000 per ton (up 41.7%)
- Portugal: $16,769 per ton (up 96.2%)
- Croatia: $16,000 per ton (up 60%)
- Romania: $14,000 per ton (up 21.7%)
- Singapore: $13,600 per ton (up 3.3%)
- Spain: $12,333 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- New Zealand: $12,000 per ton (down -2.7%)
- Denmark: $12,000 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Macao: $11,500 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Canada: $10,118 per ton (down -71.1%)
- Malaysia: $9,355 per ton (up 162.3%)
- Czech Republic: $8,750 per ton (down -11%)
The strongest increases in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2025 compared to 2024 were experienced by buyers of in-shell macadamia nuts in Malaysia (up 162.3%), Philippines (up 144.7%), Portugal (up 96.2%), Croatia (up 60%) and Greece (up 41.7%).
Imported Shelled Macadamia Nuts: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices
In 2025, the world’s average unit price for imports of shelled macadamia nuts was US$12,357 per ton. That dollar metric reflects a 21.4% acceleration from an average $10,180 per ton during 2024.
The average tonnage charge paid by the number one importer of shelled macadamia nuts, the United States of America, was costlier at $13,837 in 2025.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported macadamia nuts in 2025 that that have already had their shells removed.
- Kyrgyzstan: US$545 per ton (up 0.9% from 2024)
- Kazakhstan: $652 per ton (down -42%)
- Kenya: $781 per ton (down -45.1%)
- Namibia: $1,500 per ton (down -10%)
- Albania: $1,889 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Jamaica: $2,000 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Barbados: $3,000 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- South Africa: $3,266 per ton (down -31.6%)
- Fiji: $3,333 per ton (down -27.5%)
- Malawi: $3,500 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Yemen: $3,500 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Seychelles: $4,000 per ton (down -46.7%)
- Mozambique: $4,000 per ton (up 14.3%)
- Guyana: $5,000 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Peru: $5,200 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
The greatest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for shelled macadamia nuts were enjoyed by low-cost importers in Seychelles (down -46.7% from 2024), Kenya (down -45.1%), Kazakhstan (down -42%), South Africa (down -31.6%) and Fiji (down -27.5%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported macadamia nuts with shells removed.
- Maldives: US$38,000 per ton (down -20.8% from 2024)
- Hungary: $26,125 per ton (up 40.7%)
- Croatia: $23,000 per ton (up 40.8%)
- Slovenia: $21,000 per ton (up 47.7%)
- Libya: $21,000 per ton (up 342.1%)
- Slovakia: $19,333 per ton (up 1.8%)
- Curaçao: $18,500 per ton (up 2.8%)
- Finland: $18,385 per ton (up 94.4%)
- Serbia: $18,000 per ton (up 20%)
- Austria: $17,905 per ton (up 55.3%)
- Russia: $17,214 per ton (up 373.8%)
- Ireland: $17,069 per ton (up 13.8%)
- Iceland: $17,000 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Czech Republic: $16,722 per ton (up 31.9%)
- Portugal: $16,586 per ton (up 31.8%)
The greatest year-over-year growth in average unit prices belonged to importers in Russia (up 373.8% from 2024), Libya (up 342.1%), Finland (up 94.4%), Austria (up 55.3%) then Slovenia (up 47.7%).
See also Top Peanuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Almonds Exporters by Country, Top Walnut Exporters by Country and Top Cashews Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Pistachios Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Hazelnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Chestnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Macadamia Nut Showroom. Accessed on May 28, 2026
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 28, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 28, 2026
Wikipedia, Macadamia. Accessed on May 28, 2026