The Public-Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF) has confirmed the completion and signing of the Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine, and Sanitary Requirements for exporting Zambian macadamia nuts to China.
Jacqueline Chishimba, the PPDF Director of Strategic Communication and Partnerships, described this milestone as pivotal for Zambia’s agricultural and trade growth. She pointed out that the protocol was achieved through PPDF’s coordination of discussions between Macadamia Growers and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Following approval from the Ministry of Justice, the protocol allows Zambia to directly export macadamia nuts to China, the largest consumer market globally. The agreement was formalized between Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture and China’s General Administration of Customs.
Chishimba explained that the protocol sets sanitary and phytosanitary standards to ensure the safe export of shelled and in-shell macadamia nuts for human consumption. It follows extensive risk assessments and pest control measures aligned with the World Trade Organization’s SPS Agreement.
This development positions Zambia alongside Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Mozambique in accessing China’s lucrative market. Chishimba emphasized the potential of the protocol to enhance Zambia’s competitiveness regionally, fostering foreign exchange earnings, attracting private investment, creating jobs, and driving agricultural diversification.
According to the protocol, exported macadamia nuts must be free from quarantine pests like Thaumatotibia leucotreta, Tribolium destructor, Trogoderma granarium, and Prostephanus truncatus. Zambian authorities will ensure compliance with Chinese requirements across the entire value chain, from cultivation to export.
To maintain these standards, Zambia will conduct annual monitoring of food safety risks and pest surveillance, sharing results with Chinese officials. Only enterprises with approved, inspected facilities will qualify for exports, and shipments must adhere to traceability, labeling, and phytosanitary certification standards.