Walnuts: strong imports and exports

July 11, 2024 at 11:50 AM , Der AUDITOR
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BRUSSELS/FOLSOM. EU imports have surged for walnuts in the first six months of 2024. Shipments from Ukraine have risen by an incredible 82%. US exports are also strong.

EU imports clearly up

EU imports have not only surged by 34% for shelled walnuts in the first half of 2024 as compared with the same period last year but have also reached a record. Although the import value also stands 34% higher than last year at EUR 283 million, this is a far cry from the EUR 363 million spent in the first half of 2022.

Imports from the US have risen sharply by 32% with the country accounting for 61% of all EU imports. Shipments from Ukraine have surged by a highly impressive 86%, whereas imports from Chile only range 8% higher than last year. Domestic shipments as well as imports from Eastern Europe and Vietnam have, by contrast, declined sharply. As much as 40% of the EU’s total imports arrive in Germany (27,080 mt), followed by Spain with 16% (10,930 mt) and the Netherland with 11% (7,540 mt).

EU walnut imports (mt)

Country

2023

2024

Diff

USA

34,527

45,478

31.7%

Ukraine

6,375

11,868

86.2%

Chile

4,590

4,962

8.1%

China

2,088

3,522

68.7%

Moldova

2,126

2,086

-1.9%

EU

500

309

-38.2%

Uzbekistan

508

118

-76.8%

Kyrgyzstan

148

57

-61.5%

Argentina

41

33

-19.5%

Turkey

14

18

28.6%

Vietnam

32

16

-50.0%

Morocco

0

14

-

South Africa

12

11

-8.3%

New Zealand

0

10

-

Total

50,961

68,502

34.0%

HS Code 08023200 – Fresh or dried walnuts, shelled
DG TAXUD’s Customs Surveillance 01/01-07/07

EU important US destination

US walnut shipments have risen sharply this season, mainly driven by exports. Domestic combined in-shell and shelled walnut shipments are only 7% up on last year, whereas combined exports have surged by 28% to 608 million pounds as the June shipment report issued by the California Walnut Board shows. Turkey is the main export destination by far, followed by Germany and Italy. Shipments to most destinations have witnessed sharp increases, whereas the United Arab Emirates has recorded a 30% drop and shipments to Japan are flat.

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

Destination

2022/23

2023/24

Diff.

USA

216,365

232,597

7.5%

Turkey

87,454

127,212

45.5%

Germany

58,081

72,476

24.8%

Italy

29,129

50,190

72.3%

Spain

30,055

44,735

48.8%

UAE

51,882

36,687

-30.3%

Japan

35,830

35,895

0.2%

Korea

27,603

34,184

23.8%

India

10,476

24,735

136.1%

Netherlands

18,048

23,513

31.3%

UK

12,671

19,184

51.4%

Others

113,800

139,635

22.7%

Total

691,394

841,043

21.6%

California Walnut Board, 01/09-30/06

 

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