IN YOUR ORCHARD
THE ALMOND BOARD 2025 State of the Almond Industry: A Year of Resilience
After years of challenges, the California almond industry is finally catching its breath. At this year’s 53rd Annual Almond Conference, the mood amongst growers, handlers, industry partners, and allied supporters felt cautiously optimistic that a market rebound is on its way.
The conference theme, “Cultivating a Healthier Future,” was a reminder that with innovation, stewardship, and expanded global demand, there is a promising outlook ahead. The conference also provided a moment to reflect on the past, as this year marked the 75th Anniversary of the Almond Board of California (ABC). “Over the last 75 years, the industry truly evolved,” said Clarice Turner, CEO at ABC, during the State of the Industry session. “We remain focused on growing demand for California almonds, both domestically and globally, with new products, new markets, new innovations, and new partnerships, as well as equipping growers with practical tools and resources.” Signs of Rebound That forward-thinking vision comes at a pivotal time in the industry, as the market begins to show signs of
recovery amid ongoing economic pressures. According to UC Davis’s Dr. Brittney Goodrich, in the last five years, operating costs have increased between 27 and 40%. Earlier this year, Goodrich discussed these findings in detail on The Almond Journey podcast here: https://bit.ly/4jzSn0G. Encouragingly, the supply and demand balance within the California almond industry is returning to a point of equilibrium, prompting a market rebound. Total almond acreage has decreased (1) for the fourth consecutive year, along with new plantings. Even with a reduced supply, the industry recorded its third-largest shipping year. “Average grower returns have improved from the $1.60s in the 2023 crop (average all varieties), to the $2.30s per pound in the 2024 crop (average all varieties),” said Bob Silveira, chair of the Board of Directors. “That’s roughly a 40% increase.” While this improvement indicates good progress, it underscores the importance of having accurate data to back market fluctuations. In July, market frustrations came to a head when the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Objective Measurement Report was released. Although this year’s crop size has yet to be fully determined, industry members are reporting that the measurement is off by a sizeable margin this season and improving the estimate is also not feasible, Silveira explained.
State of the Industry: Almond Board of California president and CEO Clarice Turner addressed industry members at The Almond Conference 2025 in Sacramento
34
ALMOND FACTS
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker