Global demand for nuts has increased constantly over the past few years. Consumers are starting to live healthily and make more positive healthy lifestyle choices, eating more, tree nuts, ground nuts and plate-based foods.
Countries with the highest incomes consumed copious amounts of nuts yearly. Almond nuts are the most popular nut in South Africa. Lower-income economy bracket chooses to eat peanuts as they are more affordable.
Nut theft has an extensive negative impact in South Africa on the local economy, including the national economy. South Africa is the largest exporter of macadamia nuts globally, exporting in neighbourhood value of 3 billion rands annually.
On a smaller scale, walnuts, almonds, cashew, hazelnuts, pistachios, and peanuts are all locally produced and mainly exported. South Africa's tree nut exports increased by 9% to US$390 million in the 2018/2019 market.
Macadamia nuts have been recorded as the second highest earner next to coal on the foreign exchange market. Macadamia nuts are farmed and harvested in Mpumalanga province, South Africa.
Macadamias are viewed as a superior nut product and are currently the most expensive nut on the global nut stage.
Several private investigations into the theft of macadamia nuts have found that farm workers are often associated with the theft of the farm's stolen macadamia nuts or are associated with autonomous harvesters. ( Low down dirty scoundrels).
Not all Hawakers just the lazy scoundrels, arrange with the syndicates to supply them with stolen nuts and drop the price dramatically. Next time you see nuts on the cheap be very wary.
Thievery occurs during the evenings when lawbreakers hide in the orchards, often work in teams and are incredibly well organised.
It has been witnessed that macadamia nuts have been stolen right under the noise of the farmer in the processing facilities.
The total tonnage of stole macadamia nuts is estimated between 1000 - 4000 tons. Countless macadamia nuts are exported or couriered across the border to Zimbabwe.
The estimated annual value of stolen macadamia nuts stands at R146,3 million is a direct loss to farmers and labourers.
SAMAC has strong suspicions that a least one or more retailers in South Africa sell stolen macadamia nuts.
Black market high-value goods, artwork, luxury watches, and even nuts there will be a black market.
Organized crime rings have targeted the united states nut industry, and nut theft has become an unsettling concern as the production of almonds, pistachios, and walnut theft is on the rise.
" When there's value and increased value, there's going to be illicit activities around humans trying to make a quick, easy dollar"
Nuts are less perishable than other food sources and can be stored for lengthy periods. Nuts do not contain bar codes, serial numbers or QR codes.
Criminal organizations are utilizing the nut industry's weakness and scamming their way through the system via strategic cargo theft.
Criminal organizations only need one of two devices a cell phone or a laptop. Criminal syndicates use the identity of a legitimate trucking company and change the shipping information.
Appeal online to collect the nuts shipment armed with fake waybills and trucking identity information the nut cargo is then loaded onto containers, and drivers disappear into the night.
Days later, when the distributors try to make contact with the shipping company, their horror mobile numbers and landlines have been disconnected. That sinking feeling creeps in, and they discover that they have been swindled out of their hard-earned goods.
