Production of nuts in Chile is forecast to expand by 22 per cent this year, translating into an export crop of 42,158 tonnes.
Volume and quality for 2012 are both looking excellent, according to the Chilean Walnut Commission’s president Andrés Rodríguez.
Rodríguez said this year’s exports will be buoyed by the introduction of a quality seal for Chilean nuts, a new international marketing campaign for Walnuts from Chile, as well as the opening up of new markets.
In particular, the committee believes access for Chile’s shelled nuts to Korean presents a great opportunity for the Chilean nut industry.
The Korean market has grown solidly in recent years for both nuts and dried fruit in general on the back of the desire to eat healthy products, according to the committee.
The committee said it is also working hard to gain entry to the Chinese nut market.
