Kang County Walnuts

Last updated 2026-11-10 — Walnuts have a long cultivation history in Kang County, and the walnut industry is almost a flagship sector that benefits everyone in the county. In recent years, the Kang County Party Committee and County Government have prioritized the development of the walnut industry as a pillar for boosting rural economy and increasing farmers' income. Adhering to the overall layout of “tea in the south, mulberry in the north, and walnuts across the county,” they have achieved remarkable results through measures such as establishing bases, expanding scale, improving mechanisms, strengthening services, advancing technology, enhancing management, focusing on processing, and increasing efficiency. Currently, the walnut cultivation area reaches 243,500 mu, accounting for 24.1% of the county's total economic forest area. Among this, the productive area spans 65,000 mu, with approximately 1.2 million trees, yielding 3.307 million kilograms of dried walnuts annually. The county processes 800,000 kilograms of walnut kernels per year, generating an output value of 30.66 million yuan, ranking first in the province and accounting for 14.2% of the county’s total agricultural output value. The industry covers all 28 townships in the county, with the highest concentration in 20 central and northern townships, benefiting 162,800 people. The per capita specialized walnut income is 169 yuan, rising to 215 yuan in major production areas, representing 14.5% and 20.5% of per capita net income, respectively. The main growing areas are located in the central-northern region of the county, north of Niutou Mountain, making Kang County one of China’s key walnut production bases. Kang County walnuts are renowned both domestically and internationally for their high oil content, unique flavor, and pollution-free cultivation. The products are sold to major cities such as Tianjin, Shanghai, and Hebei, and are exported to countries including South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. In 1997, the county was named one of Gansu Province’s “Top Ten Counties for Forestry and Fruit Pillar Industries.” In 2001, it was recognized by the State Forestry Administration as a “National Economic Forest Construction Base County,” and in 2004, it was honored as a “China Famous Special Economic Forest – Hometown of Walnuts” by the same agency.