This data was released by the president of Portugal Nuts, Tiago Costa, during the 5th edition of the congress that this association promotes annually, which, this time, takes place in Évora throughout the day at a hotel unit in the city.

"Portugal has undergone a profound transformation in the production of dried fruits in the last decade, and the results are visible to all and should make us proud," affirmed the same official in his speech at the congress.

The country is now “the 2nd largest almond producer in Europe” and is “firmly” integrated “into the world’s top 5”, while, with regard to walnuts, Portugal has also reached “the position of 5th largest producer in Europe” and secured “a place in the world’s top 15”, he revealed.

Planting area doubled

The president of Portugal Nuts - Associação Promoção Frutos Secos (APFS) also highlighted that, in recent years, in Portugal, “the planted area has doubled, production has skyrocketed and exports have exceeded €150 million in terms of dried fruit, on a global scale”.

Referring to the most recent data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) for 2025, Tiago Costa specified that the dried fruit sector reached €156 million in exports.

Almonds as the protagonist

And “almonds represent about 75%” of these exports, and this nut, “since 2020, has tripled the value of exports”, while “walnuts, from 2024 to 2025, managed to increase their exports by 50%”, he added.

“These are truly relevant numbers that help the trade balance, which becomes largely positive for the country,” affirmed Tiago Costa, arguing that “this extraordinary growth does not happen by chance”, but rather results from the strong investment of producers.

The nuts chain, according to the president of Portugal Nuts, has become “absolutely strategic for Portuguese agriculture” and already accounts for 6% of national vegetable product exports.

Increase in exports

In statements to the Lusa news agency, on the sidelines of the 5th Portugal Nuts Congress, which brings together members of this association, producers, technicians, researchers and other agents in the sector, Tiago Costa stated that almond exports increased from €30 million in 2020 to €115 million last year.

According to INE data released by the association, this approximately €115 million relates to the sale of 31,000 tons of almonds in foreign markets, representing an increase of more than 16% in value (+€15.21 million) compared to 2024.

And with regard to walnuts, the 50% increase in exports means that it went from €1.1 million in 2024 to €3.3 million in 2025, with sales abroad increasing and exceeding 900 tons, as summarised by Portugal Nuts.

"For the first time, exports of shelled almonds have surpassed exports of almonds in their shells, now representing 65% of the value of almond exports, reflecting a greater appreciation of the product in the international market," it reads.