Walnut Harvest in Greece Shows Improvement
Walnut harvesting in Greece is nearing completion, with yields surpassing last season’s results. Mr. Yannis Karkanis, president of the Walnut Agricultural Cooperative Gaia Domokou from Central Greece, reports a nearly 40% increase in crop volume.
Favorable Weather Boosts Yield
According to Mr. Karkanis, the harvest will finish within days. He attributes the better yield to improved weather conditions, specifically the absence of persistent heatwaves that affected the previous season.
Crop Quality Slightly Improved
The crop's quality has seen a modest enhancement but remains below full satisfaction. Last season's kernel-to-shell ratio was "35–37%", now improved to "40–43%". Nuts are generally better shaped, and average size has slightly increased. The distribution of nut sizes is approximately 80% in the size 30 category, 10% size 28, and the remainder size 32.
Marketing and Pricing
Production gains positively impacted market performance for walnut growers. Mr. Karkanis highlights that no stock remains from the previous season. He adds that even the slight quality improvement has been noticeable in the market. The current grower price is 3.00 euros/kg, significantly higher than last October.
"Harvest's end is a matter of days. Thanks to the more favorable weather conditions compared to last season, i.e., the absence of persistent heatwaves, our crop has risen by about 40%."
"Quality is also higher than last season, though it does not leave us very satisfied. Anyway, having received last season's kernel/shell ratio of 35–37%, we feel better receiving 40–43%. Nuts are better formed as well, and the average size is a bit improved."
"There are no stocks left from the previous season, while the positive quality development, though slight, was concrete enough to make itself felt in the market. These days, the grower price is 3,00 euros/kg. This is much higher compared to last October."
Market Outlook
Mr. Karkanis describes the overall market conditions as challenging for sellers despite the positive trends in production and pricing.
Summary: Greek walnut harvest improves in yield and quality, driving higher prices, though market challenges persist.