Walnut Crop Size Similar To Last Year
September 6, 2013 The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service California Field Office has released the annual crop estimate for walnuts, predicting the annual yield to be 495,000 short tons, just shy of last year’s crop of 497,000 short tons.
“We enjoyed a warm, dry spring which will allow us to harvest up to a week earlier than the 2012 crop, and we are expecting good quality, plentiful walnuts for our customers around the world,” states California Walnut Commission Chairman Donald Norene in a press release.
Walnut production has generally been on the upswing in recent years, with more than 11,000 new walnut acres planted this year, according to USDA-NASS. With all the new acreage planted in recent years, the crop that has nearly doubled in the last decade.
“Domestic market development and continued expansion of export markets will be critical to future production gains,” says Norene. “New emerging markets, such as India, will play a vital role in developing the industry’s future consumers.” In July, market access was granted allowing California walnuts to be shipped to India.
“Global demand for walnuts remains at an all time high because consumer awareness of the versatility and nutritional benefits of walnuts continues to grow,” states Dennis A. Balint, CWC chief executive officer. “With over 100 published health research papers, people are increasingly aware of the many health benefits walnuts provide.”
In fact, the number of consumers eating walnuts to improve their health has doubled in the past five years. Additionally, walnuts are the only nut that contain a significant amount (2.5 grams per ounce) of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based form of omega-3 fatty acid, and also contain fiber (2g) and protein (4g).
“As the fourth leading export from the state of California, we estimate the value of walnuts may top $1.5 billion in farm gate revenue,” says Balint.
In year to date shipments, the U.S. accounted for 36% of shipments while 64% of the crop was exported to countries on five continents. California walnuts account for more than 99% of the commercial U.S. supply and control roughly three-fourths of world trade.
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