US: USDA expects growers to produce 2.8 billion meat pounds of nuts

California’s almond crop should come in under three billion pounds again, if the latest USDA survey bears fruit. The USDA’s annual forecast of almond production is 2.8 billion meat pounds of nuts from California growers this season, a 13% increase from last year’s crop, but down 7% from the subjective forecast in May. The May forecast is based solely on interviews of growers and handlers on their best guess of the crop size. The objective measurement report released July 10 is based on a scientific count of nuts on the tree. These samples were taken between May 25 and June 28 of just over 1,900 trees across 952 orchards statewide. The Almond Board of California funds the annual USDA survey. Of the smaller projected crop size than the earlier subjective forecast, Hughson, California almond grower Tom Orvis was pleased as it will allow the industry to continue working through the oversupply built up over the past several years. “I like that number,” he said. Nut set per tree in the ...