Australian Macadamias Gain Improved Market Access to India

The Australian macadamia industry celebrates a revised export protocol to India, removing the need for methyl bromide fumigation of macadamia kernels. India previously required fumigation with methyl bromide or extended heat treatment to prevent pest spread. The revised protocol accepts a simpler heat treatment of 60°C for one minute, aligning with current Australian practices. This change significantly improves market access to India. This breakthrough, achieved after two years of negotiations, simplifies export processes and strengthens global trade. CEO of the Australian Macadamia Society (AMS), Clare Hamilton-Bate, hailed this as a major step towards establishing India as a key export market for Australian agricultural products. The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) further enhances this opportunity by reducing tariffs on Australian macadamias to zero by 2028. According to Hamilton-Bate, the ECTA and the revised protocol are significant milestones in trade relations with India. The announcement was made at MEWA INDIA 2025 in Mumbai, with the president of the Nuts and Dry Fruits Council India (NDFCI) welcoming the news and highlighting the collaborative effort to achieve this outcome.