China has provided a safety net for Australia’s almond industry.
With the Australian dollar on the rise, and exports to Europe in decline, the emergence of China as the world’s biggest buyer of the nut could not be timelier.
“If it wasn't for China we'd be in oversupply, so China has been a saviour,” Australian grower Paul Martin told the ABC.
“It's kept the prices somewhere reasonable on the world scene.
“We've just been hurt by a high dollar in the last few years and we're maybe going to get a little more cream in our market this year.”
Meanwhile, Australia’s macadamia industry is working hard to position itself within the Chinese market.
With Chinese New Year looming, the industry’s peak body is calling on the Australian government to help educate Chinese macadamia lovers about true origins of the nut, an Australian native.
CEO of the Australian Macadamia Society, Jolyon Burnett, said there is confusion amongst Chinese buyers because in Mandarin, macadamia translates to Hawaiian nuts.
Australia is the world’s largest producer and exporter of macadamias, delivering the nut to more than 40 countries.
Between A$120m (US$124m) and A$130m (US$135m) of Australian macadamia products are exported each year, with Asia being the largest export region, representing 40 per cent of all sales.
