Lusaka – Friday, 11 April, 2025 — The Public-Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF) proudly announces the finalization and signing of the Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine and Sanitary Requirements for Macadamia Nuts to be exported from Zambia to China, a significant milestone in Zambia’s trade and agricultural development. The Protocol was finalized following the PPDF’s dialogue facilitation between the Macadamia Growers and the Ministry of Agriculture, a thorough review and clearance by the Ministry of Justice, and paving the way for direct exports of Zambian macadamia nuts to China, the world’s largest consumer market.
The Protocol, signed between the Government of Zambia, through the Ministry of Agriculture and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, establishes strict sanitary and phytosanitary conditions to ensure the safe and high-quality export of Zambian macadamia nuts, both shelled and in-shell for human consumption in China. The signing follows comprehensive risk assessments and pest control evaluations in line with the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement).
Zambia now joins a select group of African countries — namely Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Mozambique that have signed similar protocols with China, enabling direct access to this high-value market. This development positions Zambia as a regional competitor in the macadamia sector and offers immense potential for foreign exchange earnings, increased private investment, job creation, and agricultural diversification.
Under the agreement, macadamia nuts exported from Zambia must be free from quarantine pests of concern to China, including Thaumatotibia leucotreta, Tribolium destructor, Trogoderma granarium, and Prostephanus truncatus. The Zambian authorities will oversee the entire value chain from raw material cultivation to processing, storage, transportation, and export to ensure compliance with China’s regulations. Annual food safety risk monitoring and pest surveillance will be carried out by the Zambian side, with results shared with Chinese authorities. Only enterprises whose facilities have been inspected, approved, and registered by the Chinese authorities will be eligible to export. Additionally, macadamia shipments must comply with traceability and labeling requirements and be accompanied by phytosanitary certificates confirming compliance with the Protocol.
This milestone was facilitated by the PPDF, working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to meet China’s technical requirements.
This Protocol is more than a trade agreement, it’s a clear signal of Zambia’s capacity to meet global standards and a testament to the power of public-private dialogue. It reflects the Government’s strong commitment to supporting private sector growth through structured collaboration and international market access.
The PPDF calls upon investors, cooperatives, out-growers, and processing enterprises to seize this opportunity and expand their participation in Zambia’s growing macadamia sector.
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