There were no real surprises in the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s 2017 Almond Acreage Report. The report showed continued almond growth with a 7% increase overall from 2016 to 2017 and predicted 1,070,000 bearing acres for 2018. There was a slight decline in new plantings, the lowest since 2003. Almond Board of California’s President and CEO Richard Waycott said that steady growth is what they see happening for the next five years and the small drop in plantings is likely a residual effect from drought conditions.
Listen to Waycott’s full interview.