Thanks to good weather conditions, land recovery was possible, and Nueces de Catamarca, Grupo Lucci’s integrated walnut production project, is making its way in the Arab world, one of the regions with the highest demand of walnuts. Besides being about to close a deal in Türkiye and Dubai, the company has already made a deal to operate in Italy and, for the first time, in Spain.
“We want to reach India. Arab and Asian markets have significant volumes which pave the way for new opportunities. The harvesting season in Argentina is in keeping with the demand in the Northern Hemisphere, which favours our exports,” said Martijn Hazeu, Commercial Representative at Nueces de Catamarca.
After having obtained GlobalG.A.P. certification in 2022, Nueces de Catamarca has managed to strengthen its business relations in various markets such as Germany, a key market which usually orders products in the last part of the year. Not only does this certification guarantee high quality and food safety standards, but it also boosts the competitiveness of the company in the sector.
“In 2024, we managed to produce 520 tons of top-quality Chandler walnuts in shell. As a result of this 60% growth, we can make the most of export competitive advantages and supply the domestic market too. Chandler walnuts are highly demanded products worldwide, and Argentina represents less than 1% of this business, which confirms its growth potential,” asserted César Tello, Head of Production and Packing at Nueces de Catamarca.
“In Argentina, 22,000 tons are produced every year. China is the main producer of walnuts in the world, with 1,100,000 tons of production. We are quite far from that number and we are even far from Chile, which produces 135,000 tons,” reflected Tello.
Plantation Expansion
“Nueces de Catamarca operates in 245 hectares and 215 of them are productive today. Walnut trees take about six years to bear fruit. That is why we are working on plantation development in our expansion plan, and, in the next years, 30 hectares will be added to the production,” added Tello.
With this expansion plan, the company aims at producing, in the mid-term, 1,000 tons of walnuts in shell every year. This goal has served as a reference to design the facilities of the production project commenced 22 years ago, promoting industry growth and development.
“Nueces de Catamarca is among the five major walnut production companies in the country in terms of size and technology. We have invested in operational spaces and base infrastructure of 800 m2 with a storage capacity of 300 tons of packed walnuts, as well as in a harvest and post-harvest traceability system. Such advances consolidate a quality-assured business model,” concluded César Tello.
Nueces de Catamarca in the Spotlight
- Nueces de Catamarca’s facilities (field, packing house and offices) are located 60 kilometers north of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, near Los Varela, a village of 1,800 inhabitants.
- The staff of permanent collaborators consists of 15 workers, but, during the harvesting and packing seasons, that number increases, resulting in about 35/40 temporary jobs.
- The walnut crop cycle starts in October and ends in March. Walnuts are harvested in March, April and on the first days of May. After harvesting, packing and order preparation for sale take place.
Chandler walnuts are known for their quality, flavour and other features which make them ideal for consumption. Their popularity has grown in European, Asian and North American markets, where they are used both in the food industry and the retail sector.