This report updates the tree
nut situation for selected countries published in the
November 1999 issue of the World Horticultural Trade
& U.S. Export Opportunities circular.
Almonds
Almond production in
selected countries in 1999/2000 is forecast at a record
487,050 tons, less than 1 percent below the previous
estimate and 63 percent above last year’s
production. Lower estimates of the 1999/2000 Spanish
almond crop accounted for the slight decrease from the
November estimate. The forecast for the 1999/2000 U.S.
crop remains at a record 376,500 tons, 60 percent above
last year’s crop, due to good weather, increasing
acreage, and the crop’s cyclical nature. Almond
exports from selected countries in 1999/2000 are forecast
at 264,800 tons, 20 percent above last year and 1 percent
above the previous estimate, due to a slightly higher
export forecast for the United States. U.S. exports from
August 1999 through January 2000 (according to trade
sources) totaled 134,540 tons, 31 percent above last
season’s exports during the same period. Sales to
date to the European Union, the largest U.S. market, are
up 21 percent from last year. U.S. 1999/2000 ending
almond stocks are forecast to decline slightly to 110,000
tons, due to the increase in export volume. These large
reserves are due primarily to the Almond Board of
California’s (ABC) effort to stabilize declining
almond prices by reserving 22 percent of this year’s
crop. Export prices for U.S. almonds are down 33 percent
compared to the same period last year.
Walnuts
Walnut production in
selected countries in 1999/2000 is estimated at 663,500,
10 percent above last year’s production and slightly
below the November forecast, due to a slightly lower
production estimate for Chile. The 1999/2000 U.S. walnut
crop is estimated at a record 254,000 tons, 23 percent
above the 1998/99 harvest. Walnut exports from selected
countries in 1999/2000 are forecast at 182,470, 6 percent
below the previous estimate, due to a slightly lower
forecast for the United States. U.S. exports from August
1999 through December 1999 (according to the U.S. Bureau
of Census) totaled 63,712 tons, a slight increase above
the previous year’s shipments during the same time
period. Although sales to the European Union, the largest
U.S. market, are down 16 percent for 1999/2000 compared
to this same period for 1998/99, sales to Japan and North
America (Canada and Mexico) are up 50 and 77 percent,
respectively.
Hazelnuts
The 1999/2000 hazelnut
production estimate for selected countries has been
decreased to 724,500 tons, 6 percent below the November
forecast. This is due primarily to production decreases
for Spain and Turkey. U.S. production remains at 34,500
tons, 145 percent above last season, due to the
crop’s alternate bearing cycle. Total hazelnut
exports from reporting countries in 1999/2000 are
forecast at 459,000 tons, 1 percent below the November
estimate, but 12 percent above 1998/99 exports. The
decrease is due to lower export forecasts for Spain and
the United States. The U.S. export forecast was decreased
based on significantly fewer shipments to date compared
with the volume for the same time period for prior years.
Although sales to the European Union, the largest U.S.
market, are down 51 percent for 1999/2000 compared to
this same period for 1998/99, sales to Hong Kong are up
92 percent from the same period last year. The export
forecast for Turkey remains unchanged at 400,000 tons, 15
percent above last year’s volume.
(The FAS Attache
Report search engine contains detailed reports on Tree
Nut Competition or Market Intelligence for 16 countries,
including Spain, France, Chile, and Turkey. For
information on production and trade, contact Lisa
Anderson at 202-720-5028. For information on marketing,
contact Ingrid Mohn at 202-720-5330.)
