By Valley Ag Voice Staff
A tropical storm during harvest created an unfavorable outlook for Central Valley almond production, and acreage has declined for two consecutive years. A recent report from Land IQ to the Almond Board of California showed that roughly 74,000 almond acres were lost in 2023.
According to the report, this second year of reduction is an unprecedented trend since at least 1995. In a press release, Richard Waycott, president of ABC, explained that the analysis from Land IQ underscores a reduction in total acreage due to fewer new plantings and increased orchard removals.
“While the 1.37 million bearing acreage in 2023 set a new record, reflecting plantings in 2020 or earlier, the analysis indicates a potential decrease in bearing acreage in 2024,” Waycott said.
Orchard removals increased in 2023, reaching approximately 83,000 acres as of Aug. 31, compared to 60,400 acres in 2022. According to the report, 41,000 acres are classified as either stressed or abandoned.
Despite these concerns, the Almond Board of California continuously works toward innovative approaches to improve the industry. ABC collaborated with Tastewise — an AI-powered food trends prediction and intelligence startup — to boost its trade marketing program across the U.S. and Europe.
According to a press release from ABC, the data gathered from Tastewise will inform new product development, encouraging the use of almonds as a prominent ingredient.
“California almonds are a key ingredient helping brands and product innovators be ready for the future,” Harbinder Maan, associate director of trade marketing and stewardship at ABC said in the release. “With real-time data from Tastewise, we will be able to bring meaningful insights to food manufacturers with an increased accuracy and speed.”
Data from Tastewise highlighted several keywords for the consumer use of almonds, including fitness, energy, weight management, wellness, athlete recovery, heart health, and muscle function.
