US: The total area of almond orchards in California decreased for the first time in 25 years

The total area of almond orchards in California in 2022 decreased for the first time in 25 years. Such data are provided in the reports of Land IQ and the US National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS). At the same time, the area of fruit-bearing orchards has slightly increased. Both reports were provided to the California Almond Growers Council (ABC). The USDA-NASS report looks at the full 2022 totals. The Land IQ report is a preliminary crop estimate for 2023. The USDA-NASS report notes that the total area of almond orchards in the state of California is 659,948 hectares, including fruiting and non-fruiting plantations, which is 1.2% less than last year, when it was 666,757 hectares. This is confirmed by the November 2022 Land IQ report, which also reported a decrease in the total area of almond orchards. The 2023 Preliminary Harvest Assessment published by Land IQ only considers fruit bearing orchards – that is, orchards planted before 2021 and mature enough to produce ...