The rainy weather that pummeled California for much of winter and into the spring was not only beneficial to the state’s nearly-empty rivers and lakes, but to almond orchards as well. The California Almond Forecast estimates that the state’s 2017 almond crop is 2.2 billion pounds, up from last year’s 2.14 billion pounds for an increase of 2.8 percent. While heavy rains typically negatively affect the almond crop, leading to complications with pollination, pesticide application and bloom fall, such was not the case this year according to Richard Waycott, President and CEO of the Almond Board of California.
Wet winter contributes to increased almond crops
