Macadamia nuts robberies escalate

MACADEMIA farmers in Chipinge are having sleepless nights as marauding gangs of armed robbers are invading their farms stealing the nuts.

Although police have intervened and helped farmers to beef up security, many farmers with macadamia nuts plantations are still under threat as some of the robbers are armed with dangerous weapons.

Chipinge Criminal Investigations Department spokesperson, Detective Assistant Inspector Daniel Mhini, confirmed the escalating of macadamia nuts robberies.

“Police have seized tonnes of macadamia nuts since last month and we are still compiling the street value of the recovered nuts. Every day we are recovering macadamia nuts from robbers and we are handling more reports of theft,” he said.

Although farmers and buyers agreed to produce a farm ownership certificate at selling points, macadamia nuts are finding their way to the market despite the pact.

A farmer, Mr Simon Sithole, said the situation was now dire as robbers were now invading their farms in broad daylight.

“Yes, we are living in fear as some of our workers are being assaulted every day by some of the robbers. Right now some of the villagers are nursing wounds sustained from the attacks.

“At first they would come at night, but now they are visiting our farms during the day. They will be armed with machetes, knobkerries and catapults.

“We have discovered that some locals are harbouring these robbers at their homes and then gang up with them to steal from our plantations,” said Mr Sithole.

Known as the ‘golden nut’ of Chipinge, macadamia nuts have proved to be one of the exceedingly rewarding crops.

Some foreign companies from China, South Africa and Kenya are now descending in Chipinge in search of the golden nut.

Prices of the nuts are ranging from $2 to $4 per kg depending on the grade.