Walnuts: high demand for US inshells
January 12, 2026 at 12:40 PM ,
Der AUDITOR
Exports as main driver
Monthly exports nearly doubled to 43,477 pounds for inshell walnuts and rose by 40% to 44,187 pounds for kernels in December 2025 as opposed to the 21,830 pounds of inshells and the 31,533 pounds of kernels shipped in December 2024. Exports were the main driver.
Total shipments show a similar tendency with domestic shipments rising by single digits for kernels and inshell walnuts, whereas exports increased by 12% for kernels and by an impressive 45% for inshells in the first four months of the season.
US is main market for kernels
Yet, the domestic market has remained the main destination for kernels. Exports to Germany have surged by a stunning 75%, whereas shipments to Spain show a 22% downturn. In fact, shipments to Europe as a region have risen by 24% to 62,004 pounds. By contrast, exports to Asia and the Pacific Rim are 10% down on last year at 26,863 pounds. Yet, exports to the Middle East/Africa have surged by 51% to 9,713 pounds.
|
US walnut shipments, kernels (1,000 pounds) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
USA domestic |
71,252 |
65,789 |
-7.7% |
|
Germany |
18,120 |
31,697 |
74.8% |
|
Spain |
14,806 |
11,527 |
-22.1% |
|
Japan |
10,194 |
10,066 |
-1.3% |
|
Korea |
11,842 |
8,984 |
-24.1% |
|
Netherlands |
4,237 |
6,219 |
46.8% |
|
UK |
5,703 |
5,670 |
-0.6% |
|
Canada |
5,512 |
5,433 |
-1.4% |
|
UAE |
1,427 |
3,417 |
139.5% |
|
Israel |
4,572 |
3,371 |
-26.3% |
|
Taiwan |
2,922 |
3,079 |
5.4% |
|
Others |
15,451 |
16,542 |
7.1% |
|
Export Total |
94,786 |
106,005 |
11.8% |
|
Grand Total |
166,038 |
171,794 |
3.5% |
|
California Walnut Board, 01/09-31/12 |
|||
Impressive in-shell exports
For inshells Turkey is the most important export destination with shipments more than tripling this season. This has prompted shipments to the Middle East/Africa as a region to rise by 210% to 79,791 pounds. Exports to Italy are relatively flat. Europe is, in fact, the second most important destination for the US this season but shipments to here have contracted by 17% to 36,971 pounds. India is sporting a 15% decline and exports to Asia and the Pacific Rim have witnessed a 6% downturn to 28,667 pounds.
|
US walnut shipments, inshell (1,000 pounds) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
Turkey |
18,057 |
57,596 |
219.0% |
|
Italy |
28,939 |
29,269 |
1.1% |
|
India |
26,195 |
22,290 |
-14.9% |
|
UAE |
2,698 |
9,413 |
248.9% |
|
USA domestic |
6,142 |
6,268 |
2.1% |
|
Spain |
7,627 |
5,007 |
-34.4% |
|
Vietnam |
1,928 |
4,406 |
128.5% |
|
Iraq |
220 |
4,321 |
1,864.1% |
|
Lebanon |
617 |
2,335 |
278.4% |
|
Germany |
6,060 |
1,532 |
-74.7% |
|
Canada |
1,146 |
1,329 |
16.0% |
|
Others |
8,673 |
10,286 |
18.6% |
|
Export Total |
102,160 |
147,784 |
44.7% |
|
Grand Total |
108,302 |
154,052 |
42.2% |
|
California Walnut Board, 01/09-31/12 |
|||
Crop receipts rise by 30%
Crop receipts stood at 783,714 tons for conventional walnuts and at 17,718 tons for organic walnuts as of 31 December 2025. This is 35% up on the 582,621 tones reported for conventional walnuts in December 2024. Organic walnut receipts have risen by 31% - from 13,439 tons in December 2024 to 17,718 tons in December 2025.
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