Walnuts: a rising star in SA's nut basket

Walnuts make up the smallest portion of South Africa's nut cultivation, yet show much promise as a profitable crop that can be grown across a host of areas in the country. One of the first to take the leap, Rotondo Walnuts is paving the way for a robust future industry.

-  Lindi Botha

The 10-year wait for a return on investment is enough to put most investors off any opportunity. Recognising the potential of the nut industry to create jobs and boost rural economies, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) decided to invest in walnut production, establishing the first orchard in South Africa in Aliwal North in the Free State in 1998.

But the undertaking soon proved to be bigger than what they could handle and the farm was put up for sale four years ago. Investment banker Chris Edwards was then coaxed by his business partner to consider switching his suit for overalls.

“He kept saying there are big opportunities in agriculture, and walnuts specifically, but I didn’t want to wait seven years for an income.”

Counting in the farm’s favour is the counter-seasonality of Southern Hemisphere production. About 90% of walnuts are grown in the Northern Hemisphere, with Chile and Australia making up most of the other 10%. This provides a good opportunity to gain higher prices when there is low global supply.

Edwards took the plunge and Rotondo Walnuts is today the largest walnut farm in Africa. They also hold over 90% of South Africa’s market share of locally grown nuts and their quality parameter is in the top 5% globally.

Walnut farming does not come without its challenges. Edwards notes that since walnut farmers are only now starting to emerge in South Africa, information on local production practices was absent when they first started. Even today, there is still much to uncover. In the meantime, production practices from the local pecan industry and the walnut industry in California, US, needed to be adapted to local walnut production.