What are the main walnut-importing countries? A quick guide to each country's situation

  The annual world trade volume of walnuts is 150,000-200,000 tonnes, of which in-shell walnuts and walnut kernels each account for half. The major walnut-producing countries are all exporting countries, and more than 40 countries import walnuts, with Germany, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and others being the main walnut-importing countries. In recent years, thanks to improvements in processing and storage technology, seasonal consumption has turned into year-round consumption. With the continuous development of the world economy and the steady rise in people's living standards, sales on the world walnut market have shown a rapid upward trend in recent years. According to a 2001 forecast by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, world walnut demand will increase by 10% per year over the next 10 years. There is fairly broad room for the development of world walnut production and trade. The volume of US walnut exports has varied little from year to year; in 2005 the annual traded volume of in-shell walnuts on the international walnut market was about 171,300 tonnes, and US walnut nut exports were about 53,000 tonnes, accounting for about 30% of world in-shell walnut sales; China exported 1,480 tonnes of walnut nuts. The selling price on the Chinese walnut market was 1,267 US dollars per tonne, and the US price was 2,130 US dollars per tonne.

  The gap between China and the United States, the two major walnut-producing countries, in market share and unit selling price comes down to product quality, and what governs product quality is the implementation of quality standards and safeguard measures. For example, Turkey produced 130,000 tonnes of walnut nuts in 2006, but its level of varietal development, standardisation and standardisation has risen year by year and has been well implemented, and its market share and selling price have also been rising steadily. Moldova in Eastern Europe produces only a small amount, but its kernels are light and bright in colour and attractive in appearance, and fetch a high price.

  According to recent statistics from the World Tree Nut Association, the international market shares of the 5 walnut kernel exporting countries are: the United States 55%, China 14%, France 13%, India 9%, Chile 6%, and other countries 3%. The market for our country's walnut kernel exports is relatively better, mainly exporting to Japan, Canada, New Zealand and the countries of Europe and the Middle East, with an annual export volume of about 10,000 tonnes. Because our country's walnut kernels are clearly graded, come in a full range of specifications and also taste fairly good, they have a stable market and a fixed consumer group. But since 1995, restricted by various European trade quality standards, export volumes have also been decreasing; the current export volume is below 10,000 tonnes, and in the lowest year the export volume was less than 7,000 tonnes. The world's year-round production of walnut oil is about 90,000 tonnes; the United States produces about 20,000 tonnes of walnut oil a year, followed by China and Turkey, and the annual output of these three countries accounts for more than 50% of world walnut oil production. The average international market price of walnut oil is 8,000 US dollars per tonne, and it has always been a best-selling commodity.