Chilean Walnut Commission president Karl Samsing has announced plans for a record investment in overseas promotion of US$10 million over the coming year now that new markets have opened up. 

The funds in part will go toward promoting Chilean walnuts in markets with either new or improved market access including China, South Korea and India, as well as Japan.

Samsing also highlighted a need to invest around US$100 million in the production end in 2017, particularly for shelling and drying processes.

Another growth area has been Morocco, which only received 21 metric tons (MT) of in-shell Chilean walnuts last year, but in the year to date has received 930MT due to a reduction in tariffs from 49% to 2.5%, or 10% for shelled walnuts.

Last week the sector held a congress in Santiago, attended by Agriculture Minister Carlos Furche.

"This season we will manage to export 70,000MT of walnuts and it's very likely that this figure will double in the next five years," Furche said.

Chile currently has 40,000 hectares of the crop planted, making it second only to table grape production in terms of horticulture.

However, rains in April showed how vulnerable the sector is as well, with growers and traders learning important lessons across a range of issues including harvests, shelling and logistics, which all need to be improved in terms of efficiency.

"Walnuts are one of the brightest spots in our fruit industry, but we are trying to reach another level and become one of the main players worldwide in the international trade, in which what Chile does or doesn't do will influence global walnut prices," Furche said.

The minister added that along with a rapid expansion of walnut plantings, recent surveys showed strong growth in cherry and hazelnut plantings as well.

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