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Walnuts: Bulgarian catastrophe confirmed!

October 20, 2016 at 1:40 PM , Der AUDITOR
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SOFIA. Harvest 2016/17 has already been collected. Farmers have noticed unprecedented loss in quantity, with some minor exceptions for a few regions.

Usually, if the season is good, on average the walnut harvest in Bulgaria reaches 18.000 mt. Last year, the harvest was very strong and stood at about 20.000 mt while current marketable crop is estimated to have reached 5.000 mt. The rest is still on the trees, hanging there as if a ghost left alone to perish. As a local farmer of more than 1.000 acres said „The early frosts and intensive rainfalls killed our dreams for a prosperous harvest.” Some farmers even do not consider collecting their crops since the revenue from the “rescued walnuts” would not cover the costs of collecting and marketing the walnuts. Farmers are counting the loss.

Walnuts, Bulgaria

Type

EUR/kg

Light  kernels (mix)

7,30

Light  halves

7,70

Amber kernels (mix)

6,10

Amber halves

6,50

EXW Bulgaria

  
The weather takes its toll
The cultivation history of the Bulgarian grown walnut dates back several decades. This specific nut crop is widely popular on the local market, and for the last few years, farmers, encouraged by Euro subsidies, have significantly invested in the cultivation of huge acreages of land. For instance, in the year 2013, cultivated walnut lands stood at 5.889 ha while for the next year, they reached 7.199 ha. That is an increase of 22,24 % for a single year. The trend is expected to rise since organic crops are sold at a higher price. The only factor that has to be taken into account is the weather. Yet, who could stand against it?
New organic crop in shells trade at 5.00 EUR/kg EXW. Conventional ones this week stood at around 2.00 EUR/kg – 2.50 EUR/kg EXW, depending on calibre. But prices are expected to rise.

Organic walnuts, Bulgaria

Type

EUR/kg

Light  kernels (mix)

10,00

Light  halves

9,00-10,00

Amber kernels (mix)

9,00

Amber halves

9,00

EXW Bulgaria

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