Walnuts: much stronger demand for US inshells
July 9, 2026 at 1:01 PM ,
Der AUDITOR
Monthly domestic shipments cannot keep up
June was a strong month for US walnuts, with the noted exception of domestic in-shell shipments, which fell by 39% to 510,474 pounds as compared with June 2025. Monthly exports, by contrast, rose by 17% to 9.1 million pounds. Grand total in-shell shipments stood 12% higher at 9.6 million pounds. For kernels the trend was more straightforward in June as both domestic shipments surged by 52% to 20.4 million pounds and exports by 56% to 19.5 million pounds, thereby bringing the total to 39.9 million pounds, which is 54% up on last year. For the entire season in-shell and kernel shipments are showing impressive gains.
Exciting gains for in-shell walnuts
Grand total in-shell shipments have more than doubled to 302 million pounds with exports also doubling to 287,5 million pounds and domestic shipments rising by a smaller 40% to 14.5 million pounds. As exports to Turkey range more than four times higher than last year, the country has become the leading destination by far. Shipments to the United Arab Emirates have taken off to a similar extent with Lebanon, Iraq and Morocco also showing highly impressive gains. Subtotal exports to the Middle East/Africa stand a stunning 343% higher than last year’s 42.8 million pounds at 189.5 million pounds.
Italy ranks second with a 15% rise in shipments. By contrast, exports to Spain have fallen by 12%. Subtotal exports to Europe as the former leading region have also dipped by 6% to 53.9 million pounds as opposed to last year’s 57.1 million pounds.
India is also sporting an 8% decline. Yet, shipments to Vietnam have nearly doubled. At 38.7 million pounds subtotal exports to Asia/Pacific Rim stand 8% higher than last year’s 35.8 million pounds.
Shipments to North America have, in addition, risen by 38%, form 11.8 million pounds noted in 2024/2025 to 16.3 million pounds in the current season.
|
US walnut shipments, inshell (1,000 pounds) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
Turkey |
31,637 |
128,500 |
306.2% |
|
Italy |
33,225 |
38,123 |
14.7% |
|
India |
30,040 |
27,680 |
-7.9% |
|
UAE |
4,182 |
18,711 |
347.4% |
|
USA domestic |
10,380 |
14,531 |
40.0% |
|
Algeria |
1,113 |
12,345 |
1,009.4% |
|
Spain |
9,881 |
8,669 |
-12.3% |
|
Lebanon |
2,221 |
8,225 |
270.3% |
|
Iraq |
220 |
7,091 |
3,116.7% |
|
Morocco |
1,411 |
6,567 |
365.5% |
|
Vietnam |
3,164 |
6,129 |
93.7% |
|
Others |
20,432 |
25,469 |
24.7% |
|
Export Total |
137,526 |
287,509 |
109.1% |
|
Grand Total |
147,906 |
302,040 |
104.2% |
|
California Walnut Board, 01/09-30/06 |
|||
Less exciting gains for kernels
Kernel shipments are not showing quite as impressive rises. Grand total shipments stand 13% higher than last year with exports 19% up and domestic shipments only 4% higher than last year. Exports to Canada are 8% up. The domestic market is the main buyer of walnut kernels and subtotal shipments to North America range 5% higher than last year’s 171.1 million pounds at 178.9 million pounds.
With a sharp rise of 31% Germany has maintained its leading positions as top destination for US walnut kernels. Shipments to Spain, the UK and Italy have also risen by double digits this season so far. Subtotal exports to Europe stand 25% higher at 178 million pounds as compared with the 142 million pounds noted in the same period in 2024/2025.
Exports to Japan, which ranks third, have risen by a more moderate 5%, whereas shipments to Korea have dipped by 10%. Shipment volumes to Australia have risen by 20%. At 82.8 million pounds the subtotal exports to Asia/Pacific Rim range 3% higher than last year’s 80.7 million pounds.
Israel is also sporting a 13% rise. Subtotal shipments to the Middle East/Africa have, in fact, surged by 76% to 21.1 million pounds as opposed to last year’s 12 million pounds.
|
US walnut shipments, kernels (1,000 pounds) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
USA domestic |
158,013 |
163,893 |
3.7% |
|
Germany |
67,758 |
88,915 |
31.2% |
|
Spain |
29,566 |
34,283 |
15.6% |
|
Japan |
33,656 |
35,236 |
4.7% |
|
Korea |
29,005 |
26,143 |
-9.9% |
|
Netherlands |
16,615 |
18,567 |
11.8% |
|
UK |
14,569 |
16,497 |
13.2% |
|
Canada |
12,324 |
13,305 |
8.0% |
|
Italy |
6,580 |
9,819 |
49.2% |
|
Israel |
7,422 |
8,371 |
12.8% |
|
Australia |
6,579 |
7,923 |
20.4% |
|
Others |
29,418 |
43,425 |
47.6% |
|
Export Total |
253,263 |
302,485 |
19.4% |
|
Grand Total |
411,276 |
466,377 |
13.4% |
|
California Walnut Board, 01/09-30/06 |
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