Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 7/27/2005

**GAIN Report Number:** FR5052

FR5052

**France**

**Tree Nuts**

**Update**

**2005**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Besa L. Kotati

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Marie-Cécile Hénard

**Report Highlights:**

In 2004, French walnut production increased to 26,290 MT, following the
short crop of 2003 due to severe drought. Although there is no estimate
yet available for 2005 harvest, France is facing another year of severe
drought conditions, which is likely to have a negative impact on
production. Partial trade data for MY 2004/05 indicate an increase in
French exports of in-shell walnuts (principally to Germany) and a
decline in French imports of shelled walnuts (mainly from Moldova, where
French walnuts are exported to be shelled). U.S. exports to France of
in-shell walnuts declined significantly in MY 04/05, as a result of the
increased domestic production.

Includes PSD Changes: Yes

Includes Trade Matrix: Yes

Unscheduled Report

Paris \[FR1\]

\[FR\]

Table of Contents

[**Executive Summary 3**](#executive-summary)

[SITUATION AND OUTLOOK 3](#situation-and-outlook)

[STATISTICAL TABLES 4](#statistical-tables)

[PS&D Table 4](#psd-table)

[Trade Matrices 4](#trade-matrices)

# Executive Summary

In 2004, French walnut production increased to 26,290 MT, following the
short crop of 2003 due to severe drought conditions. There is no
estimate yet available for 2005 harvest, although current drought is
likely to negatively impact production. Partial trade data for MY
2004/05 indicate an increase in French exports of in-shell walnuts
(principally to Germany) and a decline in French imports of shelled
walnuts (mainly from Moldova, where French walnuts are exported to be
shelled). U.S. exports to France of in-shell walnuts declined
significantly in MY 04/05, as a result of the increased domestic
production.

# SITUATION AND OUTLOOK

According to preliminary estimates from the French Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Rural Affaires, French production of
walnuts increased to 26,290 MT in 2004 over 23,350 MT in 2003. An
increase was expected, as a result of the abnormally low production in
2003 caused by severe drought conditions. There are no estimates yet
published for 2005, but production is likely to be affected by the lack
of rain and a large quantity of small grade nuts.

In 2004/05, higher domestic production logically resulted in reduced
imports and larger exports, as is indicated in the partial MY trade data
(October/April, see statistical section below). Increased exports mainly
included larger shipments of in-shell walnuts to Germany and Spain,
while imports of in-shell walnuts significantly declined from the United
States, and imports of shelled walnuts declined from Moldova.

The main French importers of U.S. walnuts are the following:

Alimentation Fine de France (AFF)

Jean-Francois Vaucelle, PDG

Bergerac

<info@aff.fr>

tel: (33-5) 53 74 40 80

fax: (33-5) 58 14 83

Kerry Produits Jaeger

Annie Danquigny

Goussainville

Tel: (33-1) 34 38 87 87

Fax: (33-1) 39 92 92 71

La Noix Gaillarde

M. Soularue

Brive-la-Gaillarde

<contact@french-walnuts.com>

Tel: (33-5) 55 86 03 85

Fax: (33-5) 55 88 28 38

Production "La Prade"

Olivia Dumons

Toulouse

Tel: (33-5) 62 48 52 51

Fax: (33-5) 61 42 15 55

Société Soreau

Eric Soreau

Ivry-sur-Seine

<Morgane.david@soreau.fr>

Tel: (33-1) 46 70 10 66

Fax: (33-1) 46 70 28 37

# STATISTICAL TABLES

## PS&D Table

  --------------- ------------ ---------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ---------- ---------
  **PSD Table**                                                                         

  **Country**     **France**                                                            

  **Commodity**   **Walnuts,                                    (HA)(1000               
                  Inshell                                       TREES)(MT)              
                  Basis**                                                               

                  2003         Revised    2004       Estimate   2005         Forecast   UOM

                  USDA         Post       USDA       Post       USDA         Post       
                  Official     Estimate   Official   Estimate   Official     Estimate   
                  \[Old\]      \[New\]    \[Old\]    \[New\]    \[Old\]      \[New\]    

  **Market Year                10/2003               10/2004                 10/2005    MM/YYYY
  Begin**                                                                               

  Area Planted    20200        20050      20400      20080      0            20080      (HA)

  Area Harvested  15600        15600      15900      15960      0            15960      (HA)

  Bearing Trees   1600         1600       1600       1600       0            1600       (1000
                                                                                        TREES)

  Non-Bearing     450          450        450        450        0            450        (1000
  Trees                                                                                 TREES)

  Total Trees     2050         2050       2050       2050       0            2050       (1000
                                                                                        TREES)

  Beginning       0            0          0          0          0            0          (MT)
  Stocks                                                                                

  Production      23350        23350      25000      26290      0            26300      (MT)

  Imports         17950        15490      16000      14000      0            14000      (MT)

  TOTAL SUPPLY    41300        38840      41000      40290      0            40300      (MT)

  Exports         16300        18750      16000      20000      0            20000      (MT)

  Domestic        25000        20090      25000      20290      0            20300      (MT)
  Consumption                                                                           

  Ending Stocks   0            0          0          0          0            0          (MT)

  TOTAL           41300        38840      41000      40290      0            40300      (MT)
  DISTRIBUTION                                                                          
  --------------- ------------ ---------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ---------- ---------

Sources: French Customs, French MinAg

## Trade Matrices

Shelled and In-Shell Trade Data, MY 2000/01 and MY 2001/02 (according to
French Customs):

French exports of in-shell walnuts (08023100), MT, product weight:

  --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------
  Countries             Oct 03/ April 04         Oct 04/April 05

  Total                 12079                    13796

  U.S.                  0                        0

  Germany               3196                     3663

  Spain                 3281                     3497

  Moldova               2774                     2865

  Italy                 683                      1844

  Portugal              659                      647

  Switzerland           423                      381

  Belgium               235                      325
  --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------

French Imports of in-shell walnuts (08023100), MT, product weight:

  --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------
  Countries             Oct 03/ April 04         Oct 04/April 05

  Total                 763                      236

  U.S.                  419                      52

  Netherlands           224                      82

  Moldova               22                       19
  --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------

French exports of shelled walnuts (08023200), MT, product weight:

  --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------
  Countries             Oct 03/ April 04         Oct 04/April 05

  Total                 1552                     1885

  U.S.                  0                        0

  Germany               604                      659

  Switzerland           313                      436

  Netherlands           94                       132

  Italy                 83                       129

  Portugal              39                       106

  Belgium               117                      102

  Spain                 80                       100
  --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------

French imports of shelled walnuts (08023200), MT, product weight:

  --------------------- ------------------------- -----------------------
  Countries             Oct 03/ April 04          Oct 04/April 05

  Total                 5965                      4931

  U.S.                  0                         0

  Moldova               3769                      3015

  Ukraine               659                       782

  India                 174                       319

  Hungary               298                       145

  Italy                 74                        117

  Greece                104                       93

  China                 230                       89

  Spain                 97                        88
  --------------------- ------------------------- -----------------------

  ------------------ ----------------------- ---------------- -----------
  **Export Trade                                              
  Matrix**                                                    

  **Country**        France                                   

  **Commodity**      Walnuts, Inshell Basis                   

  Time Period        Oct/April               Units:           MT

  Exports for:       2003                                     **2004**

  U.S.               0                       U.S.             0

  Others                                     Others           

  Germany            4404                    Germany          4981

  Spain              3441                    Spain            3697

  Moldova            2822                    Moldova          2865

  Switzerland        1049                    Italy            2102

  Italy              849                     Switzerland      1253

  Portugal           737                     Portugal         859

  Belgium            469                     Belgium          529

  Denmark            378                     Denmark          398

  Netherlands        210                     Netherlands      290

  Austria            137                                       

  Total for Others   14496                                    16974

  Others not Listed  687                                       592

  Grand Total        15183                                    17566
  ------------------ ----------------------- ---------------- -----------

  ------------------ ----------------------- ---------------- -----------
  **Import Trade                                              
  Matrix**                                                    

  **Country**        France                                   

  **Commodity**      Walnuts, Inshell Basis                   

  Time Period        Oct/April               Units:           MT

  Imports for:       2003                                     **2004**

  U.S.               487                     U.S.             132

  Others                                     Others           

  Moldova            7560                    Moldova          6049

  Ukraine            1328                    Ukraine          1564

  Hungary            596                     India            638

  China              464                     Hungary          290

  India              348                     Italy            251

  Slovakia           348                     Spain            195

                                             China            183

  Total for Others   10644                                    9170

  Others not Listed  1562                                     796

  Grand Total        12693                                    10098
  ------------------ ----------------------- ---------------- -----------