Walnut Industry

Update

Dr Sally SmithAWIA Secretary

The Australian Walnut Industry Association (AWIA)

• Includes all industry and major growers

• Peak Industry Body to ANIC, Gov’t, Nuts4Life, Voice of Hort

• Education – farm walks and symposia

• Biosecurity representation (PHA)

• Promotion and marketing

• Funds and participates in research

• Kernel newsletter & Australian Nutgrower

• New website www.walnut.net.au and

Walnut production areas

• Cool-temperate to semi-arid regions

• Wider geographic distribution than some other nut crops

• Production largely in SE Australia

• 4,240 ha of bearing orchards (2019)

NSW: 74% of total plantings

VIC: 13%

Tasmania: 11%

• But 65% of orchards are in Victoria

• Webster Ltd grows ~80% of production

Plantings• Most plantings based on Californian

cultivars and rootstocks

• 1.2 million trees

• Preferred for cultivar selection:

– Lateral bud fruitfulness (80-90%)

– Nut quality (size and colour)

– Leafing and bloom date

• Late-leafing cultivars (Howard, Chandler)

in 1/2 plantings

• New developments > 40% Chandler,

existing & new areas

Crop volume• 3 years to bear; ~ 7 years to full

production

• Influenced by production in Riverina

orchards

• Yields below forecast in recent

years:

– non-pollination fruit drop

– pistillate flower abscission

– sunburn, hail, frost, birds

• Expect 70% increase in yield as

current orchards mature out to

2025. We’re still learning to grow walnuts

in new environments.

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Australian walnut production (in-shell, tonnes)

Walnut production, current & projected

2011 2018 2021

(estimate)

2025

(estimate)

Area planted 2,790ha 3,600ha 4,300ha 5,000ha

ProductionIn shell supplies most of

Australian market.

3,455 t 11,800 t 14,000 t 20,000 t

Farm gate value $13.8m $55m $66m $95m

Exports, in shell 2,623 t 5,399 t 8,400 t 12,000 t

Export value $10.5m $25m $47m $67m

HIAL/ANIC: ABS & industry

Australian walnut sales

• $55m/year and growing

• in-shell and kernel

• many sale outlets in 2018:

• strong focus on export markets – Europe & Asia

• Webster Ltd accounts for >90% of export volume and 85% of production volume

(2017)

• ~ many growers sell at farmers’ markets & other retail; this is only 1% of total

volume of production.

(AWIA grower survey)

Wholesale Retail Farm

gate

Farmers’

markets

Processor Export

Growers 15 19 13 7 8 4

Australian walnut exports and imports 2018

In-shell & kernel

• Imports ~ 4,943t, $49.2m

• Exports: 55-60% of crop (5,399t, $25m)

– 56% to Italy

– 10% to China

– 8% each to Germany & Spain

– 99% from NSW.

Source: HIAL Horticulture Stats Handbook

* New free trade agreement with India; protocols being set up *

Australia’s walnut export success

• Reliable supply of premium quality walnuts into Northern hemisphere markets in their off-season

• We produce some of the best quality walnuts using world-class processing systems

• This gives consumers confidence that Australian walnuts are safe and reliable.

Domestic walnut consumption

2011 2016 2021

estimated

2025

estimated

Kernel (t) 5,285 5,437 6,000 7,000

20% of households buy walnuts

Average purchase 320g

Supply: stable at 332g per capita per year

HIAL Aust Horticulture Stats Handbook – Nuts - 2019

Health benefits of walnuts: the evidence grows…

Walnuts are -

Packed with essential fats

Full of vitamins, minerals & phytochemicals

Rich in antioxidants

One of the few plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Eating 30g walnuts/day helps to -

Keep blood vessels healthy

Promote heart health

Improve blood cholesterol levels

Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes

Reduce risk of cancers, etc

… with no effect on body weight.

Why invest in Australian walnuts?

• Absence of most walnut pests and

diseases in Australia

• Walnuts are wind pollinated

• Continuing strong global demand for

walnuts

• Solid & sustained growth in

consumption, driven by increasing

awareness of their health benefits.

Questions?