Pine nuts are a healthy and popular product in China. The country is the world’s largest producer, processor, consumer, importer, and exporter of pine nuts. This is precisely why the Chinese market is of interest to both foreign exporters and local importers.

Notably, pine nuts are part of the traditional gastronomic culture of Chinese consumers. They are eaten as snacks, during family gatherings, and are even given as gifts. The product is available either in-shell, roasted, or simply shelled. On store shelves, pine nuts can usually be found in small packages or as part of gift sets. In the confectionery industry, nuts are used as an ingredient in desserts, baked goods, and other dishes.

It should be noted that Chinese consumers can be quite demanding when it comes to pine nuts. For buyers in the premium segment, kernel size, richness of flavor, quality, packaging appearance, and freshness are important. Price is often not a competitive advantage.

According to the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, the country’s nut and seed snack market is estimated at more than RMB 320 billion ($47.5 billion) in 2025, and by 2029 it may approach RMB 430 billion ($63.8 billion).

However, importers should take into account that China’s domestic pine nut harvest is declining. In the 2025–2026 season, the country produced 7,500 tonnes in kernel equivalent. A year earlier, this figure stood at 27,900 tonnes. Thus, the decline amounted to almost 73%!

Who Supplies Pine Nuts to China?

The largest suppliers of pine nuts to China are:

  • Afghanistan
  • Mongolia
  • Russia
  • Pakistan and others.

From August 2025 to July 2026, Pakistan supplied China with about 1,100 tonnes of in-shell pine nuts worth $17.3 million. The average price of the product was $14.9/kg. These were predominantly chilgoza pine nuts. Chilgoza is a pine species whose seeds are among Pakistan’s best-known export pine nuts.

Pakistan exported about 95 tonnes of shelled pine nuts to China worth more than $2 million. The weighted average price of the product was $21.45. These were mainly shelled pine nut kernels, although processed/prepared pine nut kernels were also included.

Notably, the products were shipped in relatively small commercial lots of 60 kg, 1.6 tonnes, or 10 tonnes. For an expensive shelled product, this structure is quite logical: the high price per kilogram makes it possible to form smaller shipments. During the year, there were five sellers whose nuts were purchased by two Chinese companies.

From April 2024 to March 2025, Russia shipped 803.2 tonnes of in-shell pine nuts to China worth $1,474,603. The average price was $1.84/kg. The approximate weight of one shipment was about 20 tonnes.

What Types of In-Shell Pine Nuts Does Russia Export to China?

  • Korean pine nuts, Pinus koraiensis, in shell, without cones;
  • Siberian pine nuts (Pinus sibirica), in shell.

The product is predominantly packed in 39.9 kg polymer bags, with shipments consisting of 500 bags. There were seven sellers on the Russian side and six buyers on the Chinese side.

As for shelled pine nuts, Russian exporters supplied more than 625 tonnes to the Chinese market worth $1,584,831. The weighted average price was $2.53/kg. The weight of one shipment was about 18.4 tonnes. These were predominantly Korean and Siberian pine nuts. The product is packed in polymer bags and placed in cardboard boxes.

Pine nuts are also imported into China from Kazakhstan. From August 2025 to July 2026, local sellers shipped more than 1,000 tonnes of in-shell pine nuts to China. The total value of all shipments amounted to $146,851. The weighted average price was $0.147/kg. The average weight of one shipment reached 35 tonnes.

Despite the fact that the shipments to China come from Kazakhstan, most of the nuts are of Russian origin. Thus, Kazakhstan acts as a re-export corridor for in-shell pine nuts entering the Chinese market.

As for shelled pine nuts, during the same period Kazakhstan shipped about 3,490 tonnes to China worth $267,393.32. At the same time, the weighted average price was only $0.0765/kg, which is several times lower than the price of Pakistani and Russian products, although this product is considered premium-class. We do not rule out possible inaccuracies in the data.

Overall, it is evident that foreign shelled and in-shell pine nuts attract interest from Chinese buyers. “For Chinese pine nut importers, Russia and Kazakhstan are promising suppliers. Their advantages include geographical proximity to China, access to a raw material base, and the ability to work with both in-shell nuts and shelled kernels, making it possible to compete not only on the basis of product origin, but also in terms of logistics and cost. Given that China’s domestic harvest has declined sharply, these countries are capable of ensuring stable shipments of the required quality,” commented Rushan Giniyatov, founder of the G2R platform.*

*This does not constitute an investment strategy.

Government support measures available in exporting countries, which an importer can access through a local exporter, can help facilitate pine nut imports into China on favorable terms.

What Support Measures Are Available to Exporters in Russia?

The broad geographical reach of Russian exports continues to expand every year thanks to government support measures. In 2026, the Russian Export Center, together with the Russian Ministry of Agriculture and the Federal Center “Agroexport,” provides companies with comprehensive support when entering the Chinese market. Russian producers can receive advice on registering enterprises in the GACC system, preparing documentation packages for Chinese regulatory authorities, adapting packaging and labeling to the requirements of PRC legislation, as well as ensuring product compliance with Chinese sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

One of the most popular promotional tools remains the national brand “Made in Russia.” After completing voluntary certification, a producer receives the right to use the corresponding quality mark, participate in special marketing programs of the Russian Export Center, collective exhibitions at international trade fairs, business missions, and promotional campaigns on foreign e-commerce platforms. For Chinese buyers, the “Made in Russia” brand serves as an additional factor of trust, particularly in the food segment.

Particular attention in recent years has been paid to the development of e-commerce. Russian companies receive support in listing their products on major Chinese marketplaces and B2B platforms and participate in online business missions and negotiations with importers organized by the Russian Export Center and the trade missions of the Russian Federation in China. This format makes it possible to significantly reduce the costs incurred by Chinese importers, retail chains, and distributors in searching for suppliers, try products from Russian manufacturers directly in China, and negotiate the first shipment without involving a large number of intermediaries.

Among the advantages are:

  • compensation of transportation costs, ranging from 25% to 100%;
  • preferential lending. Short-term financing of up to 1 year is available for replenishing working capital, while investment loans of 2–15 years are available for capital expenditures and modernization. In some cases, loan interest rates are calculated as 0.5 of the Central Bank’s key rate + 2%;
  • insurance of export contracts;
  • assistance with certification in China.

What Support Measures Are Available to Exporters in Kazakhstan?

For Kazakh exporters, selling to China can be advantageous, as the local government provides the following support measures:

  • Compensation for part of the costs associated with promoting products abroad, including international certification, trademark registration, laboratory testing, marketing research, advertising and product promotion, development of export catalogs, translation of technical documentation, packaging development, and promotion through e-commerce platforms;
  • Export financing: pre-export financing, financing of export projects, financing of foreign buyers of Kazakh products, replenishment of working capital for export enterprises, and long-term financing of major export contracts.

How to Find a Pine Nut Supplier in Russia and Kazakhstan?

To find reliable and verified pine nut suppliers in Russia and Kazakhstan, use the services of the G2R platform. To do this, submit a transaction request through the relevant product category page. A platform manager will contact you shortly to clarify the details.

The G2R team will then select a supplier in Russia, Kazakhstan, or any other country and help arrange the shipment, customs clearance, logistics, and payment processing. All you will need to do is receive the products in your city.