Walnuts: Chile wraps up season
April 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM ,
Der AUDITOR
Middle East becomes top destination for inshell walnuts
Although inshell exports tended towards zero in March, the final shipment report issued by ChileNut shows impressive gains. Total inshell exports have risen by 26% as compared with 2024/2025. The most important trend being that the Middle East/Africa has surpassed Asia/Oceania as the main export region. Shipments to the Middle East/Africa, in fact, more than doubled to 34,936 mt, whereas exports to Asia/Oceania dipped by 14% to 30,513 mt. Exports to Europe rose by 32% to 23,918 mt and America showed a more moderate rise of 6% to 2,270 mt.
Although exports to India fell by 17%, the country remained the leading export destination by far. Turkey is next in line with an impressive rise of 61% and shipments to the United Arab Emirates even surged more than elevenfold.
|
Walnut exports, Chile, inshell (mt) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
India |
33,968 |
28,185 |
-17.0% |
|
Turkey |
10,702 |
17,189 |
60.6% |
|
UAE |
1,289 |
14,589 |
1,031.8% |
|
Italy |
8,384 |
10,596 |
26.4% |
|
Spain |
3,145 |
4,146 |
31.8% |
|
Germany |
1,378 |
3,855 |
179.8% |
|
Morocco |
3,969 |
1,563 |
-60.7% |
|
Peru |
1,093 |
1,169 |
7.0% |
|
Vietnam |
146 |
1,138 |
679.5% |
|
Lithuania |
1,645 |
1,038 |
-36.9% |
|
Others |
7,289 |
8,170 |
12.1% |
|
Total |
73,008 |
91,638 |
25.5% |
|
ChileNut, 21/03-20/03 |
|||
Europe remains main buyer for shelled walnuts
At 151 mt monthly shelled walnut exports stood 26% higher in March 2026 than the 120 mt recorded in March 2025. Total exports climbed by 32% on the previous season with Europe maintaining its position as leading destination. Exports to Europe, in fact, rose by 41% to 31,681 mt as compared with 2024/2025. By contrast, shipments to America declined by 5% to 4,611 mt, but rose by 29% to the Middle East/Africa. Shipments to Asia/Oceania remained relatively flat at 703,636 mt.
Exports to the Netherlands, as leading export destination country surged by 162%. Germany also showed an impressive gain of 95%. By contrast, exports to Spain dropped by 13%. Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and Ecuador were the only non-European countries in the top ten chart.
|
Walnut exports, Chile, shelled (mt) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
Netherlands |
3,019 |
7,920 |
162.3% |
|
Germany |
3,627 |
7,073 |
95.0% |
|
Spain |
5,479 |
4,783 |
-12.7% |
|
Italy |
3,226 |
3,872 |
20.0% |
|
Brazil |
2,044 |
2,269 |
11.0% |
|
France |
1,818 |
2,040 |
12.2% |
|
UK |
771 |
930 |
20.6% |
|
Portugal |
599 |
831 |
38.7% |
|
UAE |
585 |
732 |
25.1% |
|
Ecuador |
1,312 |
698 |
-46.8% |
|
Others |
6,832 |
7,563 |
10.7% |
|
Total |
29,312 |
38,711 |
32.1% |
|
ChileNut, 21/03-20/03 |
|||
Slightly smaller crop anticipated
Harvesting is underway in Chile with ChileNut stressing the importance of quality in an increasingly competitive market. Attention is being paid to maturity and the conditions prevailing during nut drop. Production prospects differ throughout the country.
Expectation is that production will range around 10% lower than last year in the Region of Valparaíso and some northern areas as fewer chill hours were accumulated. In the Metropolitan region output will range slightly lower. The O’Higgins regions has, however, witnessed more favourable conditions. Further south production should rise by 15-20% as pollen flight and flowering were better synchronised and good weather conditions in spring improved fruit set. ChileNut projects the country’s production at 165,000 mt, 6% less than last year’s 175,000 mt.
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