The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is expecting another record almond crop for California, marking the fifth year in a row of record-breaking crop numbers. The 2020 California Almond Subjective Forecast from USDA-NASS projects that California almond growers will produce three billion pounds of nuts this year. The forecast highlights an increase of nearly 18 percent from 2019.
“Almond acreage and production continue to increase as California almond growers further invest in precision agriculture and responsible best practices,” Almond Board of California (ABC) President and CEO Richard Waycott said in a press release. “Through the industry’s advancements in water use efficiency to environmentally friendly pest management, zero waste efforts in the orchard and beyond, almond growers are committed to achieving our Almond Orchard 2025 Goals and the realization of the California almond orchard of the future.”
The USDA-NASS forecast shows California almond production more than doubling from 2009. Yield per acre is also expected to increase by more than 10 percent over last year to 2,380 pounds per acre. Between 2016 and 2019 the price for almonds has fluctuated between $2.39 and $2.50 per pound. USDA-NASS also released the 2019 Almond Acreage Report a few weeks ago. According to the data, bearing acreage for almonds has steadily been increasing and grew by nearly 27 percent between 2014 and 2019.
The Subjective Forecast provides an initial estimate of the 2020/2021 record almond crop, with a secondary production estimate scheduled to be released by USDA-NASS in July. The 2020 California Almond Objective Report will provide more precise information that is based on actual almond counts. ABC’s Board of Directors recently approved a more comprehensive approach to improving the accuracy of the reports, including measurements from an additional 150 orchards compared to 2019. The Objective Report is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, July 7.
About the Author
