Walnut growers feel impacts from multiple heat waves in California's Central Valley
LINDEN — The October heat has pummeled California's Central Valley as the walnut harvest has gotten underway.
Walnuts are the sixth-highest commodity throughout San Joaquin County, but production could be a lot lower this year compared to last year.
One grower said that almost one out of every five walnuts he's grown are bad or gone because of the heat.
It wasn't just the October heat wave but the ones we had earlier this year that growers are now cracking the shell to see the damage.
Farmworkers are gathering this year's walnut harvest at Chinchiolo Farms in Linden.
"When I first saw the October heat on the forecast, but certainly this duration, it's not normal," James Chinchiolo said.
Chinchiolo is a fourth-generation walnut grower in San Joaquin County.
"Roughly, we're at about a 1,000-2,000 [tons] depending on the year, depending on what Mother Nature deals us," he said.
The orchard dates back to 1918, but this year. mother nature dealt a lot of heat to the walnut crop.
"The earlier variety has been impacted by the heat," said Chinchiolo. "Anywhere upwards of 10-20 percent from the July heat."
Almost one of out every five walnuts of the Tulare variety he grew were bad.
The walnuts have grown and fallen to the ground, he can assess the damage from the heatwave in July, and what it did to his crops, forcing them to use more water to keep them from drying out.
"We want to make sure we're keeping them nice and healthy so they can produce years in the future," he said.
"The big impact growers are seeing is the size of the nuts and they're also reporting that production numbers are quite low compared to the previous year," said Kamal Bagri, San Joaquin County's ag commissioner.
Bagri echoed a U.S. Department of Agriculture report that expected a 19% drop in walnut production throughout the state, costing the industry over $100 million.
While the drop is scary, Chinchiolo said this could be a blessing in disguise. Less supply means more demand.
Luckily, Chinchiolo focuses on the Chandler variety of walnuts, which take longer to grow but are more durable to heat, He's positive that soon, his production will take off.
"My job is to make sure I secure this for the next generation if they want to come in," he said.
Another impact on walnut prices is imports. Chinchiolo said companies buying from Chile or China have impacted walnut growers locally. The county, however, is already looking for a better 2025.
