You can start processing walnuts at any time of the year, because there is a stable demand for it all year round. However, for a successful start, you need to know the nuances of nut processing and understand pricing.
In September-October, this is the walnut harvesting season in the northern hemisphere – the USA, Turkey, China, Europe and other countries, there is a large supply on the market. Mostly fresh walnuts are sold, which have not yet passed the drying stage, they are moist and heavy. All this explains the low cost of the nut during this period of time.
Due to the high humidity, the kernel is highly elastic and is not damaged during splitting, which is a big plus, since it increases the yield of the whole kernel. The shell also has a high elasticity, so manual labor is required to separate the shell from the kernel and sort the cracked nut.
Walnut prices rise over time, usually peaking in February. When storing walnuts, the moisture content and weight of the walnut decreases. This has its own plus – with a gentle cracking, the kernel still retains its integrity, but the shell is easily separated. This allows you to automate the process as much as possible and reduce the amount of manual labor.
Starting in March, the supply and price of walnuts has been gradually decreasing. There is a logical explanation for this – the quality of the walnutnut decreases, fresh walnuts from Chile and Australia enter the market and the price of old walnuts falls.
In addition to these factors, the cost of a walnut is also influenced by others: global yield, exchange rate, walnut quality, foreign trade and agreements.
Regardless of the scale of processing, the first step is to assess the market and the current situation. Understanding and adjusting to it, you can competently build a business strategy and make a profit even with industrial equipment, even with manual nutcrackers.