California almonds faced market access challenges in Italy last crop year due to mold inspection concerns. To address these issues, Abhi Kulkarni of the Almond Board of California (ABC) recently met with Italian industry members to discuss the rigorous food safety measures in place within the U.S. almond sector.
ABC’s Taylor Hillman recapped the discussions in the latest edition of Almond Byte. Following multiple shipment rejections last year, the meetings served as an opportunity to rebuild confidence and strengthen ties between ABC and Italy’s regulatory authorities. Key topics included the robustness of the Pre-Export Check (PEC) program, industry training sessions, PEC webinars, and the annual handler audits—all designed to uphold high safety and quality standards.
Kulkarni also emphasized the strong partnership between the California almond industry and Italy’s nut processing sector, which relies on a steady supply of high-quality almonds for value-added processing. The discussions reinforced the shared commitment to maintaining a reliable and safe trade relationship.
This report is just one highlight from the latest Almond Byte from ABC. For more insights on market access and regulatory developments in the almond industry, visit almonds.com and subscribe to ABC’s podcast, Almond Journey, available on all major streaming platforms.