Walnuts: bigger crop boosts in-shell exports
February 18, 2026 at 11:11 AM ,
Der AUDITOR
Kernel exports up on last year
Monthly kernel exports were quite strong in January. At 38 million pounds they stood 16% higher than the 33 million pounds shipped in January 2025. Domestic shipments have, however, declined by 15% from 16 million pounds in January 2025 to 14 million pounds in January 2026. This brings the monthly total to 51 million pounds, which is 6% up on the 49 million pounds registered in January last year.
Total shipments have followed a similar pattern in the first five months of the season. While domestic shipments have declined by 11%, exports have risen by 13% and the grand total stands 4% higher at 218 million pounds. Germany as the leading export destination has witnessed a 64% surge, whereas exports to Spain and Japan have declined.
|
US walnut shipments, kernels (1,000 pounds) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
USA domestic |
83,861 |
74,550 |
-11.1% |
|
Germany |
28,161 |
46,097 |
63.7% |
|
Spain |
18,420 |
15,408 |
-16.4% |
|
Japan |
14,232 |
12,912 |
-9.3% |
|
Korea |
15,316 |
12,060 |
-21.3% |
|
Netherlands |
7,430 |
8,608 |
15.9% |
|
Italy |
5,079 |
5,073 |
-0.1% |
|
UK |
6,826 |
6,957 |
1.9% |
|
Canada |
6,670 |
6,180 |
-7.4% |
|
UAE |
1,841 |
4,897 |
166.1% |
|
Israel |
5,394 |
4,972 |
-7.8% |
|
Others |
17,446 |
20,351 |
16.7% |
|
Export Total |
126,814 |
143,506 |
13.2% |
|
Grand Total |
210,676 |
218,065 |
3.5% |
|
California Walnut Board, 01/09-31/01 |
|||
In-shell exports surge
Monthly in-shell shipments took quite a sharp turn in January. Exports thereby rose by a stunning 231% to 31 million pounds last month as compared with the 9 million pounds noted in January 2025. Domestic shipments, by contrast, fell by 44% to as little as 497,000 pounds as opposed to the 884,000 pounds registered last year. At 31 million pounds the monthly total for January stood nearly three times higher than last year’s 10 million pounds.
The grand total for the season has also surged by 57% with exports 61% up and domestic shipments 4% down. Turkey is the leading destination with shipments displaying a 261% upturn.
|
US walnut shipments, inshell (1,000 pounds) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
Turkey |
20,088 |
73,265 |
260.8% |
|
Italy |
31,122 |
31,900 |
2.5% |
|
India |
28,088 |
24,539 |
12.6% |
|
UAE |
3,919 |
13,835 |
253.0% |
|
USA domestic |
6,994 |
6,730 |
-3.8% |
|
Spain |
8,581 |
5,829 |
-32.1% |
|
Iraq |
220 |
5,423 |
2,360.0% |
|
Vietnam |
2,016 |
4,583 |
127.3% |
|
Lebanon |
924 |
2,814 |
204.6% |
|
Germany |
7,015 |
2,452 |
-32.1% |
|
Egypt |
595 |
2,358 |
296.0% |
|
Others |
8,845 |
12,374 |
39.9% |
|
Export Total |
111,414 |
179,372 |
61.0% |
|
Grand Total |
118,407 |
186,102 |
57.2% |
|
California Walnut Board, 01/09-31/01 |
|||
Final receipts much higher than initial estimates
Final receipts as reported by handlers in the Crop Acquisition Report stand at 807,347 tons (732,413 mt) with conventional walnuts accounting for 787,815 tons (714,694 mt) and organic walnuts for 19,532 tons (17,719 mt). This is clearly up on the 710,000 tons projected in the USDA’s Objective Measurement Report issued in September and the 645,000 mt estimated by the California Walnut Board and Commission in November.
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