California walnuts are shipped around the globe, and the Middle East is an important destination. Shipping costsHowever, as a result of the war, shipments of California walnuts to the Middle East have come to a standstill. As a result of the war, the Strait of Hormuz - a key shipping route – has been closed and the Middle East can't be reached. "With no shipments into the Middle East currently, the industry worries how much of the 2025/2026 crop will carry over into the new crop and at what price." In addition to California, Chile's season will be starting up soon and the country also sends quite a bit of volume into the Middle East.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 04, 2026 19:21 UTC