Du Roi Multiplant becomes only the fourth South African nursery licensed to propagate and distribute MCT1
South Africa’s macadamia industry is entering a more demanding phase. After years of rapid expansion in planted hectares and production, the question facing growers is increasingly not simply how to produce more nuts, but how to generate greater value from every hectare.
Against this backdrop, Du Roi Multiplant has (in addition to multiple other registered cultivars) become a licensed nursery to propagate and distribute MCT1, a macadamia cultivar managed by TopNut, a leading global nut cultivar management company. Du Roi Multiplant, located in a Macadamia Felted Coccid free area, is now the fourth licensed nursery in South Africa and the second in Limpopo to offer the cultivar.
The development comes at a time when cultivar selection is receiving renewed attention across the industry. South Africa remains one of the world’s major macadamia producers, but growers are operating in a market shaped by fluctuating prices, rising production costs, changing consumer markets and increasing global supply.
“Macadamias have historically been an attractive long-term investment, but growers are now asking more sophisticated questions about productivity and profitability,” Gavin Pirie, commercial manager at Du Roi Multiplant. “While yield remains important, it is only one part of the equation. Growers now consider kernel recovery, whole-kernel potential, production timing, suitability to their specific growing conditions and ultimately what the crop can contribute to the profitability of the orchard.”
From tonnes to value
One of the important shifts in the industry is the recognition that a tonne of macadamias is not necessarily equal to another tonne. This places greater emphasis on the genetic potential of planting material and on high-quality disease-free planting material.
MCT1 is attracting attention in this context. According to TopNut’s available trial information, the cultivar has demonstrated characteristics including early commercial production and strong kernel recovery. However, as with any cultivar, performance needs to be considered in relation to location, climate, orchard management and other production variables.
“No cultivar is a silver bullet, and performance needs to be assessed in the context of location, orchard conditions and the grower’s commercial objectives – but what MCT1 adds is another option for growers making those decisions,” says Pirie.
Cultivar choice is one element of the equation.
“For Du Roi Multiplant, the addition of MCT1 is about more than another cultivar on the nursery list. It forms part of our role in providing growers with access to professionally propagated planting material with genetic integrity and full traceability.” Du Roi Multiplant holds a full certification with SGASA, and its operations are inspected by Biosyntrix three times a year to guarantee that all our macadamia trees are free of Macadamia Felted Coccid.
Benefits overview
- Future-proofing orchards MTC1 gives producers another high-value option when establishing new orchards or replacing underperforming blocks. While South African data remains region-specific, early results show MCT1 outyields industry standard cultivars and offers comparable or superior kernel recovery rates. These results position MCT1 as a top choice for new macadamia orchards.
- Maximising return per hectareWith profitability under pressure across the industry, every hectare must work harder. Improved genetics can play a significant role in driving consistent productivity, consistency, and orchard efficiency.
- Backed by trusted propagation expertiseThe value isn’t only the cultivar itself. Growers gain access to TopNut MTC1 through Du Roi Multiplant’s established nursery systems, quality standards, and technical support, helping ensure they start with healthy, true-to-type trees.
- Meeting the demands of the modern industryAccess to improved plant material has become a strategic advantage. The industry is shifting towards cultivars that produce a bigger nut with a good kernel recovery as well as better yields. This category of nut and style are where growers have been offered better prices in the recent challenging times. MCT1 is a viable cultivar growers could consider alongside cultivars such as A4, A16, 814, 816 and A268.
For more information, visit www.duroimultiplant.co.za or contact Gavin – gavin@duroi.co.za
