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Water Availability Top of Almond Grower’s Minds

Some farmers are having to remove crops that require excessive watering due to a shortage of water in the Central Valley.
Some farmers are having to remove crops that require excessive watering due to a shortage of water in the Central Valley. Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images)

If you’re a nut lover, don’t be too scared about an almond shortage (for now). The Department of Agriculture projected this month that California will produce a record 3.2 billion pounds (1.5 billion kilograms) of almonds this year, a 3% increase over last year. That increase is actually pretty slim compared to the 22% jump in production between 2019 and 2020, which helped make prices for the nuts fall to $1.83 per pound (0.5 kilograms), down from 2014’s high of $4 per pound.

Producers are on alert about the water shortage. The Almond Board of California wrote in a news release that “water availability will be the principal concern on growers’ minds as they continue to grow this crop.”

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