Almond Market Update April 2022 Week 15

Australia exported record amounts on a regular basis. The most important clients, China and India, boosted their imports of Australian almonds considerably year over year, while sales to Spain jumped by two-thirds to 5,414 mt. On the other hand, shipments to Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States showed significant deficits. 

The Australian almond season for 2021/2022 is now closed. During March 2021 and February 2022, about 86,873 mt of almonds were sent internationally, a 13 percent increase over the previous year and a new high. Export volumes have set record highs in six of the last twelve months, including 2,721 mt (+7% y-o-y) towards the season's conclusion in February 2021. 

Temperatures below freezing at the start of April have resulted in crop losses in Spain's farming areas. 

According to the local agricultural organisation, frost struck various growing regions in Spain again in early April, inflicting significant damage in some cases. Experts have estimated significant losses thus far, and the almond crop has also been impacted. 

According to Spanish agricultural media, severe damage and extensive losses were recorded in Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra, Aragon, Catalonia, Murcia, Granada, and Almeria. In some cases, fruit buds had already developed, and the freezing temperatures may have killed them. 

However, it is still too early to assess the true scope of the devastation, as revised projections are unavailable.