2022 California Walnut Objective Measurement Report

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

2022 California Walnut
Objective Measurement Report
Pacific Regional Office · P.O. Box 1258 · Sacramento, CA 95812 · (916) 738-6600 · www.nass.usda.gov/ca

Released: September 1, 2022 - 12:00 p.m. PDT
WALNUT PRODUCTION FORECAST DOWN

SURVEY HISTORY

The 2022 California walnut production is forecast at 720,000
tons, down 1% from 2021's production of 725,000 tons. The
forecast is based on 400,000 bearing acres, up 3% from 2021’s
estimated bearing acreage of 390,000.

The Walnut O.M. Survey began in 1958 to fulfill industry needs
for an accurate walnut production forecast prior to harvest. The
original sample was chosen proportionally to county and variety
of bearing acreage. With each succeeding year, additions and
deletions have been made in the sample to adjust for acreage
removed, new bearing acreage, and operations that choose not
to participate in the survey.

The 2022 Walnut O.M. Survey utilized a total of 711 blocks with
two sample trees per block. Survey data indicated an average
nut set per tree of 981, down 1% from 2021’s average of 992.
Percent of sound kernels in-shell was 98.0% statewide. In-shell
weight per nut was 20.2 grams, while the average in-shell suture
measurement was 32.4 millimeters. The in-shell cross-width
measurement was 33.2 and the average length in-shell was
37.9 millimeters.
California benefitted from heavy rain and significant snowpack
in late 2021, however the state has since experienced hot and
dry conditions. As a result, water allocations were significantly
reduced in many areas. During the last two weeks of February,
the Sacramento Valley experienced several nights of freezing
temperatures. Frost damage was observed.
Estimated nut sets, sizing measurements, average number of
trees per acre, and estimated bearing acreage were used in the
statistical models.

900

CALIFORNIA WALNUTS
Sept. Objective Forecast vs. Final Production
2007-2022

SAMPLING PROCEDURES
The 2022 Walnut Objective Measurement (O.M.) Survey was
officially conducted from July 22 through August 25, 2022. There
were a few samples completed before July 22nd for training and
scheduling purposes. There were 1,422 trees sampled from 711
orchards.
Once a block is randomly selected and permission is granted by
the operation for enumerators to enter the block, two trees are
randomly selected. An accessible branch is chosen which is 515 percent of the total cross-sectional area of the primary limbs
and reachable with a twelve-foot ladder. Measurements are
made on the trunk, each primary, and each split leading to and
including the accessible branch. The sample tree and
accessible branch are marked by a single tag, so that the same
trees are sampled the following year if that orchard is selected.
On the accessible branch, every nut is counted and the first of
every five nuts is picked for use in size and grade
determinations. If available, at least ten nuts are harvested from
the accessible branch for this purpose.
The following measurements are made on nuts selected for
sizing:

800

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Thousand tons

700
600
500

Weight of nut including hull
Width of shell at suture
Width of shell 90 degrees to suture line (cross-suture)
Length of shell
Kernel grade
Weight of nut in-shell

400
300

Final production

September forecast

200
07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Year

The Objective Measurement Survey is funded by the California
Walnut Board.
DATA RELIABILITY
The 80 percent confidence interval is from 650,000 tons to
790,000 tons.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

California English Walnut Acreage, Production, Price And Value In-Shell
Per bearing
Total
Trees per
Price per ton
Bearing acres
acre
production
acre

Year

Tons

2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021 1
2022 2 3

213,000
214,000
215,000
216,000
218,000
230,000
240,000
255,000
265,000
270,000
280,000
290,000
300,000
315,000
335,000
350,000
365,000
380,000
390,000
400,000

57.7
60.3
61.1
62.4
62.9
65.0
65.1
67.0
67.0
68.6
69.2
71.6
72.0
73.3
74.1
75.5
76.9
76.8
78.0
80.0

Total value

Dollars

1.53
1.52
1.65
1.60
1.50
1.90
1.82
1.98
1.74
1.84
1.76
1.97
2.02
2.19
1.88
1.94
1.79
2.08
1.86
1.80

326,000
325,000
355,000
346,000
328,000
436,000
437,000
504,000
461,000
497,000
492,000
571,000
606,000
689,000
630,000
679,000
655,000
790,000
725,000
720,000

1,000 Dollars

1,160
1,390
1,570
1,630
2,290
1,280
1,710
2,040
2,900
3,030
3,710
3,340
1,670
1,850
2,490
1,350
1,890
1,200
1,410
NA

378,160
451,750
557,350
563,980
751,120
558,080
747,270
1,028,160
1,336,900
1,505,910
1,825,320
1,907,140
1,012,020
1,274,650
1,568,700
916,650
1,237,950
948,000
1,022,250
NA

1

Price per ton and total value are May 2022 preliminary data.
Bearing years include plantings of the following: Chandler, Chico, Howard, Tulare (2018 & Earlier); 50-55, 59-124, 4946, Amigo,
Ashley, Bardoni, Cisco, Earhorn, Grove, Gustine, Honeycutt, Houston, Jensen, Lompoc, Marchetti, Nuggett, Payne, Pedro, Serr,
Sunland, Tehama, Trinta, UCD 67-13, Vina, Westside (2017 & Earlier); Franquette, Franquette Scharsch, Mayette, Placentia,
Poe, Willsons/Willsons Wonder, Woodland (2015 & Earlier); all other varieties not specified (2016 & Earlier).
3 Price per ton and total value preliminary data will be released May 2023.
NA Not Available
2

CALIFORNIA WALNUTS
Bearing Acreage vs. Bearing Trees per Acre, 2007-2022
500

90

450

400

350

70

Trees per acre

Thousand acres

80

300
60
250

200

50

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Year
Bearing acreage

Page 2 of 4

Bearing trees per acre

2022 California Walnut Objective Measurement Report (September 1, 2022)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

WEIGHT, SIZE, PERCENT SOUND AND SET BY COUNTY & VARIETY, 2021-2022
County and variety
STATE LEVEL
2021
2022
BY COUNTY
Butte
2021
2022
Glenn
2021
2022
Kings
2021
2022
San Joaquin
2021
2022
Stanislaus
2021
2022
Sutter
2021
2022
Tehama
2021
2022
Tulare
2021
2022
Yuba
2021
2022
Other 2
2021
2022
BY VARIETY
Chandler
2021
2022
Hartley
2021
2022
Howard
2021
2022
Serr
2021
2022
Tulare
2021
2022
Vina
2021
2022
Other 3
2021
2022

In-shell weight
(grams)

In-shell size (millimeters)

Kernel Grade Percent Sound

Nuts per Tree

Length

Width

Cross-Width

22.2
20.2

37.9
37.9

32.4
32.4

33.4
33.2

99.5
98.0

992
981

21.7
19.7

37.1
37.7

32.1
31.9

33.1
33.1

99.1
94.3

1,034
1,015

22.7
18.7

36.8
37.1

31.7
31.4

33.1
32.7

99.8
97.5

934
1,043

18.9
16.2

38.5
37.5

33.0
32.6

33.7
33.1

98.4
99.7

1,284
1,264

22.5
22.6

39.0
38.5

32.9
32.9

33.7
33.5

99.9
99.9

1,087
1,115

24.4
23.1

38.5
38.1

32.9
32.9

33.9
33.5

99.6
99.8

671
871

22.8
22.9

37.5
38.1

31.7
32.5

33.0
33.4

99.7
100.0

785
720

23.9
19.3

37.0
37.7

32.2
31.9

33.6
33.0

99.8
91.7

1,012
870

18.6
14.9

37.8
37.3

32.7
32.8

33.3
33.1

99.0
98.6

1,127
1,168

23.9
23.2

37.6
38.9

32.1
33.2

33.1
34.2

98.4
99.8

875
785

22.2
21.1

38.0
37.9

32.5
32.2

33.6
33.1

99.8
99.1

1,062
960

22.5
20.3

37.9
38.0

32.1
32.0

33.3
32.9

99.8
98.5

988
1,009

22.9
22.5

38.8
38.7

32.7
33.1

32.9
33.4

99.0
97.3

1,272
1,029

22.5
20.4

36.2
36.5

31.7
32.0

33.5
33.7

99.1
95.1

838
849

18.3
16.3

37.5
36.4

33.4
32.6

33.0
32.2

95.6
98.1

847
980

20.9
19.4

37.9
37.8

34.1
34.2

34.4
34.2

98.9
98.3

972
996

21.7
20.1

38.7
37.9

32.3
32.4

33.1
32.7

100.0
100.0

1,056
751

19.4
17.8

39.0
38.8

33.0
32.6

34.0
33.6

99.0
99.2

1,157
950

1

Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

2

Other includes: Colusa, Fresno, Lake, Madera, Merced, Placer, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Solano, Yolo

3

Other includes: Chico, Eureka, Franquette, Ivanhoe, Payne, Poe, Solano

2022 California Walnut Objective Measurement Report (September 1, 2022)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Page 3 of 4

Percentage Distribution of Walnut Shell Suture Size, By County and Variety
U.S. Standards Size Intervals 1
County and Variety
Mth

Jmb

2021
Lge Med

Bby

Oth

Mth

Jmb

2022
Lge Med

Bby

Oth

6

0

2

STATE LEVEL
COUNTIES
Butte
Glenn
Kings
San Joaquin
Stanislaus
Sutter
Tehama
Tulare
Yuba
Other 3
VARIETIES:
Chandler
Hartley
Howard
Serr
Tulare
Vina
Other 4
Number of
Shells Measured
1

1

63

18

- - - - - - - Percent of Total - - - - - - 13
5
0
1
64
17

12

0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
1

57
52
72
75
71
50
58
67
55
62

21
21
16
14
13
22
20
16
23
21

14
17
8
8
10
19
14
11
14
12

8
10
3
2
5
8
7
4
8
4

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
1
2
1
1
0
1
0
1

59
45
68
70
71
64
57
69
82
61

17
25
16
15
12
17
18
16
11
18

14
18
11
9
11
13
14
10
6
13

9
11
4
3
5
5
10
4
1
7

0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
3
0
1

59
72
48
77
84
54
77

20
16
23
10
7
28
13

14
9
18
8
5
12
6

6
3
11
5
1
5
3

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
1
1
1
4
1
1

59
76
57
69
81
60
70

19
11
18
13
9
21
17

14
8
14
11
4
13
7

7
5
9
6
1
6
6

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

13,539

13,921

Sizes used are as follows: Mammoth -- Larger than 96/64" in diameter; Jumbo -- 80/64" to 96/64"; Large -- 76/64" to 80/64"
for Eureka variety, 77/64" to 80/64" for all other varieties; Medium -- 73/64" to 76/64" for Eureka,73/64" to 77/64" for all
others; Baby -- 60/64" to 73/64"; and Others -- below 60/64".

2

Percentage distributions based upon nut samples taken in the field, may not equal 100 percent due to rounding.

3

Other includes: Colusa, Fresno, Lake, Madera, Merced, Placer, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Solano, Yolo

4

Other includes: Chico, Eureka, Franquette, Ivanhoe, Payne, Poe, Solano

The California Walnut Industry has been very supportive.
We appreciate your continued cooperation!

For more California agricultural statistics, visit www.nass.usda.gov/ca
Page 4 of 4

2022 California Walnut Objective Measurement Report (September 1, 2022)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service