December 30, 2015

Thanks to advances in variety breeding and farm practices, higher prices and profitability, and the newly forged China Free Trade Agreement which will phase out all tariffs on Australian nuts over five years, the Australian nut industry is well placed for increased production and growth. The Australian Nut Industry Council (ANIC) projects that the country’s current farmgate value of nuts of $767 million will double over the next ten years to $1.42 billion with pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans expected to see significant growth, and estimates that Australia’s nut exports will reach a value of $1 billion by 2020.  Dr. Michael Treeby, appointed by the Department of Primary Industries to oversee research dedicated to nut crops has stated that walnut plantings have increased in the Riverina, pistachio production has increased in the Murray Valley, pecan production has increased in the north, and Agri Australis has recently planted 1 million hazelnut trees in Narrandera. Australian almond exports have already doubled since 2010 to 68,000 tons per year and the removal of tariffs will only serve to boost the industry further. In addition, there is potential for increased farmgate prices, increased demand, and reduced input costs to come into play driving growth for Australia’s macadamia industry much as they did for the California almond industry.

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