Nuts

Walnuts: drastic shift in exports

January 16, 2024 at 11:52 AM , Der AUDITOR
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SANTIAGO. Although walnuts witnessed a sharp downturn in shipments from Chile in December, total exports are still doing well. Shipments have, by contrast, risen sharply in the US.

Exports slow in Chile

Exports from Chile slowed sharply in December as ChileNut’s shipments report shows. At 2,476 mt monthly inshell walnut exports, in fact, ranged 60% lower than in December 2022. Shelled walnut shipments also declined by 24% to 2,911 mt. Total combined shipments (inshell plus shelled walnuts), by contrast, range 2.1% higher as Chile could rely on large carry-in stocks before the 2023/2024 crop arrived in other origins.

Current estimates predict that the 2023 crop volume will only range at 170,00 mt, which falls 19% short of initial estimates ranging at 192,000 mt as well as 9% short of last year’s crop of 187,000 mt. India is the most important export destination for Chile by far this season and shipments are 94% up as compared with the same period last year. Contrary to this, shipments to Turkey have declined by 19%. Shipments to Italy have risen by a more moderate 13%.

Walnut exports, Chile, inshell and shelled (in mt)

Destination

2022

2023

Diff.

India

25,210

48,817

93.6%

Turkey

29,647

24,153

-18.5%

Italy

10,393

11,725

12.8%

Spain

7,707

7,732

0.3%

Morocco

7,229

5,394

-25.4%

Brazil

3,324

4,539

36.6%

Germany

6,043

4,394

-27.3%

Netherlands

6,688

3,322

-50.3%

China

3,114

2,611

-16.2%

UAE

8,361

2,185

-73.9%

Others

21,898

17,463

-20.3%

Total

129,614

132,335

2.1%

ChileNut, 21/03-31/12

Upsurge in the US

With the US on track to witnessing the biggest crop on record December was a strong month for US shipments as the most recently issued shipment report by California Walnuts indicates. Grand total shipments for the month range 69% higher for inshell walnuts at 65 million pounds (29,716 mt) and 3% higher for shelled walnuts at 47 million pounds (21,165 mt) as compared with December 2022. Combined total shipments (inshell plus shelled walnuts) for the season stand 20% higher than last year at 360 million pounds (163,481 mt). Exports have climbed by 17% to 249 million pounds and domestic shipments by 26% to 111 million pounds.

Shipments to nearly all key destinations have risen, with the noted exceptions of the United Arab Emirates and Canada. Turkey is the most important destination for US walnuts followed by Italy and Germany. The share of organic shipments is negligible as only 390,620 pounds of shelled walnuts have been exported this season so far. Domestic origanic walnut shipments comprise nearly 4 million pounds thereby bringing the combined total to 4.3 million pounds.

US walnut shipments, inshell and shelled (in 1,000 pounds)

Destination

2022/23

2023/24

Diff.

USA

88,270

111,450

26.3%

Turkey

42,076

57,754

37.3%

Italy

20,718

32,867

58.6%

Germany

19,744

25,884

31.1%

Spain

15,010

18,502

23.3%

UAE

28,490

14,237

-50.0%

India

5,048

14,223

181.8%

Korea

9,561

13,127

37.3%

Japan

7,362

7,604

3.3%

Canada

10,221

7,075

-30.8%

UK

3,977

6,688

68.2%

Others

49,918

51,003

2.2%

Total

300,395

360,414

20.0%

California Walnut Board, 01/09-31/12

 

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