Walnuts: weak start to US export season
November 6, 2025 at 12:41 PM ,
Der AUDITOR
US crop up by 100,000 mt
The walnut harvest in California is not expected to be fully completed until early November, as it was crucial for growers in some regions to wait until the nuts had reached their optimal ripeness before harvesting them. By 30 September 2025, 95,517 mt of inshell walnuts from the new crop had been registered, of which 93,717 mt were from conventional cultivation and 1,800 mt from organic cultivation. According to reports, the weather favoured uniform development in the growing regions. The total California walnut crop for 2025 is estimated at 644,101 mt, which would be 17.7% or just under 100,000 mt more than last year.
However, due to the lower production results in 2024/2025, the new season started without any significant carry-over stocks. This also had an impact on exports. At the start of the season in September, US walnut exports amounted to only 4,166 mt, compared to 6,117 mt in the first month of the previous season. Domestic deliveries also fell by 12.4% to 6,693 mt. A total of 10,859 mt of walnuts, both shelled and inshell, were shipped domestically and overseas last September, a decline of 21.1% compared to the same month last year. Of this, 10,489 mt were conventional goods and 370 mt were organic walnuts.
Shipments to Europe fell by 19% to 2,638 mt at the start of the season. While US exports to Italy rose by 35.9% to 1,394 mt, shipments to countries such as Germany (-96.8% to 19 mt) and the Netherlands (-87.5% to 19 mt) declined significantly. Further significant declines were recorded in exports to Canada (-28% to 321 mt), Japan (-60% to 315 mt) and Korea (-59% to 164 mt).
|
US walnut shipments, domestic and overseas, in mt |
|||
|
Destination |
2024 |
2025 |
Diff. |
|
USA |
7,642 |
6,693 |
-12.4% |
|
Italy |
1,026 |
1,394 |
35.9% |
|
UK |
666 |
585 |
-12.1% |
|
Spain |
527 |
514 |
-2.4% |
|
Canada |
449 |
321 |
-28.4% |
|
Japan |
787 |
315 |
-60.0% |
|
Turkey |
180 |
280 |
55.6% |
|
Korea |
402 |
164 |
-59.3% |
|
Australia |
281 |
112 |
-60.0% |
|
Switzerland |
38 |
38 |
0.0% |
|
Others |
1,761 |
441 |
-75.0% |
|
Total |
13,759 |
10,859 |
-21.1% |
|
California Walnuts; 01/09-30/09 Shelled and inshell |
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Better yields in Greece
In Greece, this year's walnut harvest is also coming to an end. As Yannis Karkanis, president of the Gaia Domokou walnut agricultural cooperative in central Greece, recently announced, yields benefited from more favourable weather conditions. Unlike last year, there were no regular heat waves, which is why the crop was 40% larger than last year. According to Karkanis, the quality has also improved, although it is still not satisfactory. “Nuts are better formed as well, and the average size is a bit improved. Eighty percent of the crop belongs to the 30 size category, 10% to 28, and the rest to 32", he added. There are no carry-over stocks from last year, but the better quality has allowed commodity prices to rise to EUR 3.00/kg.
EU increases imports from China by 270%
Since the beginning of the year, 116,493 mt of shelled walnuts worth EUR 720.092 million have been imported into the EU, compared with 103,908 mt worth EUR 455.207 million in the same period last year. The average import price of EUR 6.18/kg is a whopping 41% above last year's level.
At 54,948 mt, 47% of imports came from the USA. Imports from China amounted to 24,135 mt, an increase of 269%. Other important suppliers are Chile and Ukraine. The main importer was Germany with 46,710 mt and a share of 40% of total imports, followed by Spain (+6.5% to 18,200 mt) and the Netherlands (-41.7% to 10,000 mt).
|
EU walnut imports, in mt |
|||
|
Partner |
2024 |
2025 |
Diff. |
|
USA |
64,427 |
54,948 |
-14.7% |
|
China |
6,540 |
24,135 |
269.0% |
|
Chile |
15,037 |
17,136 |
14.0% |
|
Ukraine |
13,753 |
13,870 |
0.9% |
|
Moldova |
2,513 |
2,499 |
-0.6% |
|
Others |
1,638 |
3,905 |
138.4% |
|
Total |
103,908 |
116,493 |
12.1% |
|
DG AGRI TAXUD Customs Surveillance System, 01/01-26/10 08023200 Fresh or dried walnuts, shelled |
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