Why did Xinjiang walnuts become popular?

Recently, in the factory of Xinjiang Yinguang International Trade Co., Ltd. located in Saili Township, Zepu County, workers sorted, packaged, and loaded walnuts that were about to be exported to Dubai. Since January, the company has sold 5000 tons of walnuts to Russia, Türkiye and other countries.

In fact, as early as December 2019, Xinjiang exported walnuts in large quantities to Türkiye for the first time through the China Europe Express. In the following years, more Xinjiang walnuts took the China Europe express train to export to the markets of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. So why are Xinjiang walnuts exported to foreign countries?

Ensuring quality from the source

Xinjiang has abundant sunshine and suitable temperature, which is very suitable for walnut growth. The cultivated walnuts have excellent quality, ensuring quality from the source. Compared with other major production areas in China, Xinjiang walnuts have prominent characteristics such as large, plump, high-quality, high yield, and strong stress resistance. After nearly 60 years of development, Xinjiang has successively bred excellent varieties that are well-known throughout the country. The three main production areas of Aksu, Kashgar, and Hotan are mainly planted with excellent varieties such as "Xinxin 2", "Wen185", "Zha343", and "Xinfeng".

Aksu Wensu County Thin skinned Walnut "Wen 185"

It is worth mentioning that the thin skinned walnut "Wen 185" produced in Wensu County, Aksu, has been awarded the title of "Chinese Famous Fruit" and is a distinctive product of China. It is large in size, with a thin shell that easily crumbles when pinched, high in oil content, and large and plump kernels. It has great advantages in appearance and nutritional quality. The data shows that in 2022, enterprises under Aksu customs jurisdiction will export more than 7400 tons of walnuts and walnut kernels to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Türkiye and other countries, which are favored by the market.

Central policies support industrial development

Since 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Finance have carried out the construction of advantageous characteristic industry clusters. Xinjiang has successfully applied for and created six agricultural advantageous characteristic industry clusters, including thin skinned walnuts, relying on its rich agricultural resource advantages and industrial foundation.

In 2022, the central government will provide a subsidy of 350 million yuan to support the creation of advantageous characteristic industrial clusters in Xinjiang, of which 50 million yuan will be allocated to the thin skinned walnut industrial cluster.

In the construction of the Xinjiang thin skinned walnut industry cluster, the central government's policy of awarding and supplementing funds has driven a large number of agricultural industrialization leading enterprises, farmer professional cooperatives and other various business entities, scientific research institutions, and social organizations to participate together. Seven counties and cities, including Aksu City, Yecheng County, and Moyu County, have formed the thin skinned walnut industry belt. The development model of the entire industry chain is becoming increasingly mature, and the mechanism for connecting agricultural interests with the belt is becoming more perfect. The industrial cluster has achieved high-quality development.

Deepening processing to increase efficiency

Walnuts have rich nutritional value and are rich in vitamin E, sterols, flavonoids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, etc., earning them the reputation of "longevity" and "treasure of health preservation".

So how to maximize the value of the walnut industry? In recent years, Xinjiang has introduced walnut deep processing enterprises, built modern agricultural industrial parks and cold chain warehousing, and built a complete industrial chain system of "one production in a row, and walnuts are" dried and squeezed clean ".

For example, in Yecheng County, processing enterprises extract tannins from walnut green skin and use them as chemical raw materials; Previously, walnut shells used to be burned as firewood were processed into activated carbon, which became a plugging agent in petroleum production; Walnut distraction wood is processed into health tea; There are over 20 types of ready to eat foods, beverages, and pastries with walnut kernels as the main ingredient; The discarded branches of walnut trees, which are pruned every year, are processed into composite boards. In Aksu City, pruned walnut branches are purchased every year, crushed and used for the production of black fungus rods. While turning waste into treasure, it also drives local people's employment and income... These products are mainly sold through new retail, e-commerce, wholesale markets, business group buying and other channels, covering the national market and even foreign markets, and are highly favored by consumers.

Jujube mixed with walnuts

Walnut Powder

Walnut kernel sesame candy

Xinjiang Walnut Oil

Walnut wood crafts. Photo by Zhang Junhui

Activated carbon made from Xinjiang walnut shells. Photo by journalist Zhang Xiaomi

Adequate storage reserves and convenient export transportation

Based on the advantages of walnut resources in southern Xinjiang, Xinjiang has successively built walnut storage, acquisition, processing, trading and distribution centers in Hetian City, Yecheng County, Aksu City, and other places. Through the "on-site initial processing+park deep processing" model, walnuts are purchased and processed, and walnut processing production lines are introduced and renovated, driving the transformation of the integrated operation model of walnut production, supply and sales in Xinjiang.

Seizing the opportunity of jointly building the "the Belt and Road", Xinjiang walnut export sales have constantly made new breakthroughs. On December 25, 2019, the "Hotan Kashi Urumqi Integrated Freight Train" with 44 carriages of walnuts and walnut kernels was transferred to the China Europe Train, slowly leaving the China Europe Train Assembly Center in Urumqi International Inland Port Area and heading for Mersin Port, Türkiye.

This is the first time that Xinjiang's forestry and fruit products have been exported to the international market in the form of a special train, and it is also the first order for Xinjiang to export dried fruits in large quantities. The gathering call for Xinjiang's characteristic forest and fruit products to enter the international market from scattered to large-scale has sounded. In the following years, more Xinjiang walnuts took the China Europe express train to export to the markets of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

On December 25, 2019, the first freight train of Walnut Integrated Freight Train in South Xinjiang transferred to China Europe Train left the China Europe Train Assembly Center in Urumqi International Inland Port Area and headed for Mersin Port, Türkiye.

It is worth mentioning that the time for Xinjiang walnuts to reach West Asia and Europe via the China Europe freight train has been reduced by half compared to sea transportation, and the quality of walnuts is also well guaranteed. With the China Europe freight train, Xinjiang walnut export logistics have become more convenient and fast, saving manpower and material resources.

On December 2nd, at the departure ceremony of the China Europe (Central Asia) "Tianshan" train. Source: Urumqi Evening News

On December 2nd, the Xinjiang self owned brand train, the China Europe (Central Asia) "Tianshan" train, was officially shipped from the China Europe train (Urumqi) assembly center in the international land port area. The Tianshan Express, which was shipped on the same day, was heading towards Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with a wide variety of cargo categories, mainly including Xinjiang specialty real estate goods and electrical department stores gathered in other provinces and cities. I believe that the operation of the "Tianshan" train will bring more opportunities for Xinjiang's walnut exports in the future.

Source: Xinhua Finance, China Daily, China Rural Network, Xinjiang News, Urumqi Evening News, Xinjiang Forestry and Grassland WeChat official account, Aksu Regional Financial Media Center