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Walnuts: A success story

April 26, 2017 at 8:26 AM , Der AUDITOR
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SACRAMENTO. Low price levels and good yield results are ensuring a successful progression of the 2016/17 season on the US walnut market.

In recent years, the production figures for US walnuts rose continuously and reached a new record high in 2016 at 616,923 mt. According to a study by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), around 315,000 ha of bearing walnut trees were registered in California in 2016, accompanied by about 60,000-65,000 ha of non-bearing trees.  

US walnut production

Season

mt

2016/17

616,923

2015/16

546,218

2014/15

510,307

2013/14

443,600

2012/13

449,095

Source: Walnut Board

Exports decoded
Since the beginning of the season, a total of 306,769 t of US walnuts were delivered, an increase of 29% compared to last year. Until now, 57,750 t (+14%) were sold on the domestic market, and deliveries to Europe even rose by more than one third within this period. The biggest leap by far was achieved by Italian suppliers, as they increased their imports by 48% to 25,920 t. But the two other large customers on the European market, Germany and Spain, also increased their imports respectively by 20% to 24.452 t and by 18% to 16,809 t. In contrast, exports to Central and South America are trailing far behind. 

US walnut exports in mt

Country

2015/16

2016/17

Diff.

Europe

59,493

76,271

28%

Asia/Oceania

64,212

79,989

25%

Africa/Middle East

54,731

83,265

52%

Central/South America

525

169

-68%

North America

57,094

63,389

11%

Other

1,188

3,687

210%

Total

237,244

306,769

29%

Since the beginning of the season

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