John Wilkie (1943-2013) is a world-renowned macadamia expert. He was the first person to introduce macadamia grafted seedlings into China and was also the guider for the development of the entire macadamia industry in Yunnan.

The First Person to Promote the Development of the Macadamia to China

    Wilkie’s work in the macadamia industry in China began in the early 1980s. Helped by Mr Cheng Hung Kay, he gave macadamia trees to an agricultural research station in Zhan Jiang in Guangdong province. The climate was suitable and the soil was fertile, but the area often suffered from typhoons and was considered unsuitable for commercial macadamia production.

In the 1990s, Yunnan province piloted the planting of macadamia nuts, and initially needed to introduce 300,000 seedlings from abroad. At that time, the international import and export of Chinese seedlings and seeds were blocked completely, and then a foreign friend was asked to help. Finally, 300,000 seedlings were got, and the foreign friend is John Wilkie.

His Words Encouraged Yunnan People to Regain Confidence In The Development Of Macadamia Industry.

In 2002, after ten years of trial planting, Yunnan macadamia development was in a downturn. John Wilkie was invited to go to Xishuangbanna, Dehong, Pu'er, Baoshan and other cities to investigate the cultivation of macadamias. Everyone wanted to know whether the macadamia industry can be developed in Yunnan, John Wilkie said: "The soil and climate characteristics of Yunnan are very suitable for the development of the macadamia. In the future, it has the potential to develop into the world's best and largest macadamia production and processing base."

It was this sentence that had encouraged many entrepreneurs and government personnel to regain their confidence in developing macadamia industry in Yunnan.

    In 2003, John Wilkie co-founded Yunnan Macadamias Development co.,LTD. with Chen Yuxiu in the form of technology shares. In 2005, a storm made all the fruit trees which cost RMB 700,000 fall to the ground. Chen Yuxiu immediately called Wilkie. After getting advice, she led the workers to rescue them three days and three nights in a row. The miracle appeared. After more than 20 days, all the trees were still lush. It turned out that this was a breakthrough initially created by Chen Yuxiu. She asked workers to transplant and graft the branches into a live macadamia seedling. This "technology" has allowed her macadamia forest to avoid this disaster. This pioneering work announces the arrival of the macadamia planting era with grafting seedlings!

It was Wilkie who taught this technique to Chen Yuxiu.

The Transfer Belt of Macadamia Planting Technology and Knowledge

   "The trunk should be cut off, leaving only the side branches", "It can only be planted in shallow superficial soil", "It must be planted to ensure a sufficient distance between a tree and a tree", these incredible processing techniques are all from John Wilkie. He is like an accurate and sophisticated translation machine, which unselfishly shares the most advanced and scientific planting techniques and management experience accumulated in the development of macadamia industry to Yunnan growers.

    Under the personal guidance of John Wilkie, the whole Yunnan has adopted advanced and standardized technologies and methods in land selection, planning, seedlings, planting and management. Through continuous practice and exploration, it has created a set of the planting model of the development of the Macadamia industry in Yunnan, and has a strong and remarkable effect. Hence a high-yield cultivation technique in the mountains with Yunnan's unique intellectual property rights while keeping the soil and water is formed. And the standardized planting technology of the Macadamia GAP planting base in Yunnan Province is finally formed. It promoted the development of farmers in thousands of households in planting district of Yunnan Province, and formed a scale effect.

Outstanding Achievements：Wilkie won two awards—the Rosy Cloud Friendship Award and the Friendship Award

      He was hired by the Yunnan provincial government as a technical consultant for macadamia nut industry in Yunnan province. In addition，John was honored the Rosy Cloud Friendship Award by the Yunnan Provincial Government in 2005 for his work in planting, research and development, marketing and industrial development of the macadamia in China. In 2008 he was awarded the Friendship Award from the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of the PRC.

   Thanks to Australia's advanced high-yield cultivation techniques, the quality of macadamia nuts produced in Yunnan has reached world-class quality, and the initial flowering and high-birth period of the macadamia are 4 years ahead of time. And under the guidance of Wilkie, Yunnan established the first standardized and efficient planting demonstration base in China, including the completion of 40 acres of macadamia nut resource bank, 80 Australian macadam resources, and high-quality seedling cultivation centers, High-yield cultivation test, demonstration base and technical training center.

John Wilkie was hired by the Yunnan Provincial Government as a technical consultant for the macadamia industry in Yunnan Province. In order to thank him for his outstanding contribution to the development, planting, marketing and industrialization of Yunnan Macadamia, In 2005 John was awarded the Rosy Cloud Friendship Award by the Yunnan Provincial Government. In 2008 he was awarded the Friendship Award from theState Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of the PRC. 

The 8^th International Macadamia Symposium has opened a registration channel for participants from all over the world. Click the picture below to enter the official website of the conference (www.ims2018.net) for more details.