What benefits can the development of the walnut industry bring?

  I. Economic benefits

  Over the past ten years, the cost-effectiveness of walnut production in China has undergone tremendous changes. The general trend is that the cost per unit area has increased year by year, while walnut prices and economic returns have also increased significantly. The inputs in walnut production vary greatly depending on the orchard site. Generally, the input cost for scattered planting, bank-side planting, and agroforestry intercropping is relatively low, while the input for intensively managed walnut orchards is relatively high. Usually, the input is 800-1000 yuan/mu, and the output is 1000-2 000 yuan/mu. In some high-yield orchards of early-bearing improved walnut varieties, production begins in the third year after planting, and in the fourth year the yield is 100-150 kg/mu. At 24-36 yuan per kg of walnut nuts, the output value is 2 400-5 000 yuan/mu, and the general net benefit is 1 600-4 000 yuan/mu. According to consecutive years of survey reports from a Yunnan experimental base, 10-year-old American thin-shell pecan trees yield 18-40 kg. At present, according to the technical specifications for high-yield cultivation of American pecan, at least 10 trees are planted per mu, and the yield per unit area can reach 180-400 kg. If estimated at the lowest market price of 40 yuan/kg, the output value is at least 7 200 yuan/mu.

Pictured: walnut

  In the current adjustment of the rural economic structure, the adjustment of the fruit industry structure is an important component. A major problem currently facing fruit production is extensive management across the entire industry, poor product quality, and no market competitiveness. Through the implementation of walnut science and technology projects, it is possible to promote the improvement of production technology in China's main walnut-producing areas, comprehensively improve the yield and quality of walnut nuts, and enhance the competitiveness of walnut nuts in the international market.

  II. Ecological benefits

  Through the implementation of walnut projects, the area of forest land can be greatly increased and the forest coverage rate can be raised; this will play a positive role in restoring and improving the ecological environment of the project areas, conserving water and soil, and purifying the air. We can calculate it this way: based on a survival rate of 80% of the afforestation area for benefit comparison, after the completion of a 1 million-hectare walnut economic forest base, an additional 800,000 hectares of forest area can be added, and the forest coverage rate can be increased by several percentage points. As an economic forest tree, the walnut tree has a straight trunk and luxuriant foliage, and has a strong ability to intercept smoke and dust and absorb carbon dioxide to purify the air, so it is often used as a street tree in many areas. The walnut tree has deep roots and luxuriant foliage, a very long economic life, and once planted, it benefits for many years. Because the tree body has strong adaptability, it can grow well in earth-rock mountainous areas, riverbanks, and mountain gullies. In China's northwestern Loess Plateau region, walnut is widely distributed on the edges of terraced fields, gentle slopes, and abandoned farmland with poor soil. The walnut tree body is tall. In the loess remnant plateau areas, appropriately developing walnut trees, vigorously building walnut economic forests in combination with soil and water conservation work, and using the walnut tree's huge canopy and widely distributed deep root system can block wind and rain above and retain water and soil below, protect large areas of soil, buffer surface runoff, prevent soil erosion, and prevent rainwater scouring. This is an excellent strategy for beautifying the environment and developing an ecological economy.

  III. Social benefits

  In most of China's underdeveloped old revolutionary base mountainous areas, the site conditions are poor and the population quality is low. By vigorously developing walnuts, this highly adaptable economic forest, and fully giving play to their economic benefits, a green bank can be built for the mountain people, helping the people in the old revolutionary base areas escape poverty, become prosperous, and move toward a moderately prosperous life. This is a main direction of China's current new rural construction.

  With the improvement of China's people's living standards, consumer demand for high-grade fruit products is increasingly strong. For a fairly long period in the future, walnuts and other high-grade dried fruits will be very popular, sell very well, and will be in short supply. Vigorously developing the walnut industry is of great significance for further advancing the adjustment of the rural industrial structure, promoting new rural construction, and promoting harmonious social development. In addition, during the implementation of various walnut science and technology projects, through media such as radio, television, magazines, and newspapers, as well as holding training classes, knowledge of high-quality and efficient walnut nut production and green food production is popularized, improving the cultural and scientific quality of fruit farmers, thereby achieving good social benefits.