According to Mundus Agri, this year the supply of walnut kernels from Moldova to the European market remained at last year’s level. With this indicator, the country ranks fifth in the ranking of the largest suppliers of walnut kernels to the EU. Above Moldova in this list are: Ukraine (for three quarters of 2025 – 13.87 thousand tons), Chile (17.14 thousand tons), China (24.14 thousand tons) and the USA (54.95 thousand tons).
The EU increased imports of walnut kernels in January-October 2025 compared to the same period last year by 12.1% to 116.5 thousand tons, Mundus Agri states. However, the main growth was provided by imports of this commodity from China (+269%). Whereas the USA, the leader in the ranking of walnut suppliers to the European market, reduced supplies in the three quarters of this year by 14.7%. Walnut exports to the EU from Ukraine and Moldova stagnated during the period: minus 0.9% and 0.6%, respectively.
As noted by representatives of the Association of Nut Growers of Moldova ANRN, the main share of exported Moldovan walnuts, included in the statistics of supplies to the EU, is walnuts of the 2024 harvest. However, despite the protracted harvesting campaign and relatively late start of export sales, Moldovan exporters have already shipped hundreds of tons of new crop walnuts to the European market. Fresh walnuts are also supplied to Turkey, the second most important market for Moldovan walnut production.
ANRN members consider low stocks of last year’s nuts at suppliers and buyers as the main incentive for export deliveries at the beginning of the current marketing season (which, by the way, was the main reason for the reduction of walnut kernel deliveries from the USA to the EU in summer and early fall). And the main challenge of the new season is the growth of the 2025 walnut crop in many net exporting countries.
