The California walnut harvest, which began in early September for early varieties, is expected to continue into early November in some regions as growers wait for optimal maturity and nut development, according to the California Walnut Board and Commission.
Unlike almond producers, who reacted cautiously to a National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) projection of a 3-billion-pound crop earlier this year, the walnut industry has largely accepted NASS's forecast of a 710,000-ton walnut crop for 2025. This figure represents an 18% increase from the 2024 harvest of 603,000 tons, based on 365,000 bearing acres (147,700 hectares), a 1% decrease from the previous year's 370,000 acres (149,700 hectares).
Early data from the 2024 crop year indicates that California entered the season with one of its lowest unsold carry-in inventories in recent years. Much of this remaining stock is expected to be sold by late autumn as new-season shipments begin, the commission noted.
"The estimate of 710,000 tons is in line with what the industry was projecting," said Robert Verloop, executive director and CEO of the California Walnut Board and Commission. "Combined with virtually being sold out of the 2024 crop, the industry is well positioned to start shipping new-harvest California walnuts immediately, providing seller and buyer confidence and stable markets."
Grower Christensen reported that weather conditions supported even crop development. His operation, covering roughly 1,000 acres (405 hectares), experienced a mild summer that simplified irrigation scheduling and reduced pest pressure. "We had a nice, mild summer that made water management easy," he said. "The crops all sized really well. I think we're going to have a high-quality walnut crop, and I know we had a high-quality prune crop as well."
According to Verloop, spring and summer conditions contributed to uniform nut sizing and consistent orchard moisture levels, supporting good kernel fill and shell development across most producing regions.
With early harvests underway and minimal carry-over stock, the industry anticipates a smooth transition into the 2025 marketing year, maintaining continuity in domestic and export shipments.
Source: FarmProgress
