Weak average walnut harvest: Hungary may need imported walnuts by Christmas

The harvest started in early September and ended in mid-October, with a “weak to medium” result on a national average. The main reason for the yield decrease was the spring frosts and the early summer drought, which caused serious damage in several counties. The greatest loss was suffered by Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, where only 30–50 percent of the usual quantity was produced due to spring frosts and hail.

In Transdanubia, better yields were achieved with more favorable precipitation conditions, but the total national yield still fell short of the average of previous years. Due to the drought, the size of the walnuts became smaller, but the quality parameters – such as the color and texture of the walnut kernel – developed favorably. The browning of the walnut kernel, which was typical last year, hardly occurred this year, which improved the marketability.

At the same time, there is an increase in prices on the market: the net producer price of raw shelled walnuts ranges from 600–1000 forints/kg, and the consumer price of walnut kernels ranges from 3000–5000 forints/kg. In addition to the weak domestic yield, the increase in prices is also being reinforced by the decline in the French and Greek walnut harvest.

According to experts, the Hungarian walnut supply for Christmas can be partly covered by imports, mainly with items of French and Ukrainian origin. The longer-term outlook is determined by extreme weather caused by climate change and the low resilience of unirrigated plantations.