California Almonds at the Crossroads: In today’s episode of the AgNet News Hour, the AgMeter and Josh McGill dove deep into the challenges and opportunities shaping California’s almond industry, joined by Darren Rigg of Minturn Nut Company.
Despite market turbulence, Darren shared a cautiously optimistic view for the coming harvest season. After a rollercoaster of pricing over the past few years—marked by suppressed returns and fluctuating global demand—Rigg emphasized that 2025 may finally offer a glimmer of hope, thanks in part to California’s ideal growing conditions this spring and summer.
The episode tackled the impact of a recent 3 billion-pound crop estimate, which spooked the market and dropped prices. Rigg stressed that the estimate was just that—an estimate—and urged growers not to panic. Encouragingly, lower prices reenergized buyer demand, creating the potential to rebound like last year, when almond prices hit their highest point in a decade.
Rigg explained how international trade dynamics and tariffs have created significant uncertainty. While exports remain vital—70 to 90% of Minturn’s business is overseas—demand from countries like China has sharply declined since 2017. However, new markets in North Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey are stepping up to fill the gap.
The discussion also highlighted the vital importance of water access, domestic almond marketing, and the shelf life advantage of California-grown almonds. With freight and labor issues less problematic than in past years, Darren believes the almond industry is positioned to adapt, provided policy makers, marketers, and growers work together.
Josh and the AgMeter closed the episode by emphasizing the resilience of California growers and the superior quality of California almonds. As Darren put it, “We’re one trade deal away from making 3 billion pounds of almonds profitable again.”
If there’s one takeaway from today’s show, it’s this: the almond industry is still in the fight—and the road ahead, while uncertain, may just lead to better days for California farmers.
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