![\"South](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/140328_southafricanmacadamias_142434.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTopNut is set to bring fresh genetics to the South African nut industry, with the goal of giving it an edge in global markets<\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s nut export industry is set for a major transformation, with two companies combining to bring forward new genetics that could give it an edge in worldwide markets.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The country primarily produces macadamias and pecan nuts for export, with smaller volumes of walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios and peanuts.<\/p>\n
Of this, Macadamia nuts represent 61 per cent and pecans 39 per cent, but expansion of trade is restricted because older varieties still dominate production.<\/p>\n
With new varieties based on fresh genetic material it is hoped that the country will take major strides in the years ahead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To this end, TopNut was founded as a joint venture between TopFruit and Agristar to combine expertise in intellectual property management and tree nut production.<\/p>\n
\u201cIts independence from nurseries, grower groups, processors, and marketers allows it to collaborate freely and expand globally without bias,\u201d said Anneli Bosman, general business developer at TopNut.<\/p>\n
Macadamia production is expected to exceed 320,000 tonnes (NIS) in 2024\/25, doubling over the past decade.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2023\/24, South Africa led global macadamia production, contributing 32 per cent (kernel basis), ahead of China and Australia (each 19 per cent),\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n
Ideal growing conditions and opposite seasons to the Northern Hemisphere allow South African growers to supply less competitive export windows, Bosman explained.<\/p>\n
China receives 90 per cent of pecan exports, timed for Chinese New Year, with South Africa benefiting from proximity and high nut quality.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite its economic value \u2013 foreign exchange earnings, job creation, and local value-add \u2013 the nut industry lacks domestic visibility,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cSize and kernel percentage significantly impact pricing, with differences of up to R20\/kg between pecan sizes.\u201d<\/p>\n
TopNut\u2019s mission centres on protecting intellectual property and enforcing Plant Breeders\u2019 Rights (PBR).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt identifies, evaluates, and commercialises top-performing varieties within a secure, managed framework, delivering value to breeders, growers, and the broader supply chain,\u201d Bosman outlined.<\/p>\n
\u201cCommitted to innovation and sustainability, TopNut supports producers with high-performing varieties, expert advice, and proven commercial strategies.<\/p>\n
\u201dIts values-driven model prioritises people, profit, and planet through strong governance and eco-friendly practices,\u201d she pointed out.<\/p>\n
Two new varieties could play a significant role in South Africa in future, according to Bosman.<\/p>\n
\u201cTopNut is the master license holder in Africa for MCT1, a premium Australian-bred macadamia variety owned by the Macadamia Conservation Trust (MCT) and licensed globally by the Australian Nurserymen\u2019s Fruit Improvement Company (ANFIC).<\/p>\n
\u201dIt is known for its precocity, bearing commercial yields from year 3-4, consistent high production, and superior kernel recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201dOver 1mn trees are established globally, with 40,000 planted across South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Zambia,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
TopNut also holds the global testing license for Potamia Erdin, a Turkish walnut variety discovered by Dr Erdin Devrim.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnown for its thin shells, large fruit, and high seed efficiency, Potamia Erdin is self-fertile, ripens early to mid-season, and thrives in high temperatures,\u201d Bosman added.<\/p>\n
\u201dIts large leaves help cool nuts during heatwaves, eliminating the need for up to five kaolin sprays typically used to prevent sunburn and heat stress, making it more sustainable and cost-effective than standard varieties.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TopNut is set to bring fresh genetics to the South African nut industry, with the goal of giving…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":170179,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3846],"tags":[267,70,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-170178","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-genetics","8":"tag-genetics","9":"tag-science","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170178"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170178\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}