For the first time since 2013, California’s almond crop yield is projected to be over two billion pounds.
According to the California Almond Objective Measurement Report announced by the Almond Board of California, the objective forecast for the 2016-2017 crop, based on 900,000 bearing acres, is 2.05 billion meat pounds.
Administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, this report is the second and final forecast of almond production annually, providing almond growers and handlers information about the projected harvest size to direct business decisions for the rest of the year.
“Growing this valuable, nutritious nut represents a long term investment by almond growers that substantially benefits California’s economy,” said Mike Mason, an almond grower and processor, and chairman of ABC. “We fulfill growing consumer demand both here in the U.S. and worldwide for a heart-healthy, protein-rich and nutrient-dense food.”
Richard Waycott, ABC president and CEO, said this year’s almond crop growth amidst the drought reflects growers’ commitment to innovation and sustainable technologies. Since 1994, almond growers have reduced the amount of water it takes to grow a pound of almonds by 33 percent.
“While growers have made significant advances, as an industry, we collectively recognize the need to take a leadership position on pressing issues facing both California’s residents and agricultural industry,” said Waycott. “With its Mediterranean climate and innovative advancements in production techniques, California is the ideal place to grow almonds.”
Chris Messer the Director of the Pacific Region of the National Agriculture Statistics Service said the latest crop forecast is up 2.5 percent from the May 2016 forecast of 2 billion pounds and up 7.9 percent from the 2015–2016 crop production of 1.9 billion pounds.
“We anticipate almond production will continue to play an important role in California’s economy and agricultural community. Currently the almond industry contributes more than 100,000 jobs to the state and adds $11 billion to the size of the state’s total economy,” said Mason.
