On July 12, the Ministry of Agriculture in India announced the immediate approval of the importation of California walnuts with special conditions as noted in Schedule VI of Plant Quarantine Order 2003. California walnut production has doubled in the past 10 years reaching 496,000 short tons this year with a value of $1 billion and accounting for roughly 75% of world trade. India’s increasingly affluent middle class, which spends over 30% of its income on food and beverages, is expected to reach 400 million by 2020. Per capita consumption of walnuts in India is currently low at 0.02 pounds, however considering the country’s mostly vegetarian diet which is currently deficient in alpha-linoleic acid and omega 3 fatty acids, demand for California walnuts in the country is expected to grow.
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