Australian chestnut industry struggling to break into new markets: HTW

The Australian nut industry reached a record high $1,045,000,000 in exports for the 2018/19 year, according to the recently released ABS report.

Property valuation firm Herron Todd White (HTW) found that the industry is currently experiencing its largest expansion in a decade, with industry value is split almost equally between domestic and imported product.

The most prominent nut products produced in the country are almonds, macadamia, walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, pistachio, and hazelnuts..

Australia currently exports nuts to around 55 countries, but a range of new free trade agreements currently in negotiation are bringing further optimism to all facets of the industry. 

Chestnuts

The Australian chestnut industry operates principally in the southern regions of Australia - NSW (around Orange, Southern Tablelands, Blue Mountains and Batlow), Tasmania (Northern and Central), Victoria (North-East and Central-East of Melbourne) South Australia (Adelaide Hills), and Western Australia (South-west).

HTW found that approximately 70% of the national crop is grown in northeast Victoria.

Chestnut production in 2018 was valued (farm gate) at $9.4 million, based on a production of 1,100 tonnes and comprised around 250,000 chestnut trees grown on approximately 1,500 hectares.

The industry estimates that with more trees being planted, farm gate value will increase to approximately $12 million by 2021.

The industry is dominated by the domestic market with approximately 2% exported, mainly to Asia.