US Almonds Market Update September 2021
The drought in California has severely impacted the way the almond industry in the United States operates. This calamity has made US growers and the state of California address issues that everyone had previously ignored.
While the US almond industry deals with this, let’s have a look at how this season has been for growers and suppliers as well as the market itself.
What Have The Weather Conditions Been Like?
High temperatures and increasingly smoky skies reigned throughout the Central Valley for much of the summer. Still, these conditions changed in mid-August as moderate air masses came into the region, lowering the temperature.
This was quite pleasant considering how the temperature approached (and sometimes exceeded) 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. With temperatures decreasing once more, growers were able to relax as they began the harvesting.
As the harvest progressed, growers watched the skies closely, remembering the impacts imposed by heavy smoke produced by mountain wildfires last year. Increased humidity levels, slow crop drying, and hull rot in unharvested orchards created significant headaches for growers as the sun disappeared behind heavy smoke for several weeks during the harvest.
Harvest, Crop Appearance, And Things To Note
Harvest operations spread throughout the Central Valley during the period as growers worked to bring in the 2021 crop. Growers have focused their efforts on the first-to-harvest Nonpareil and Independence varieties.
However, many have noted that co-located pollinizer varieties in many Nonpareil orchards have progressed rapidly and may be ready to harvest immediately after the Nonpareil has been picked up. Several growers along the west side of the Central Valley have commented that Price, Aldrich, Carmel, and Wood Colony were ready to shake even as they picked up the Nonpareil.
This year kernel size is more closely related to the stress imposed by higher temperatures and insufficient water during the growing season. Hullers producing in-shell have also fought sticktights, where the hull has adhered to the shell, rather than opening, to provide for separation during the hulling process. In both cases, in-shell kernels in meat deliveries or sticktight nuts in in-shell, the shell or hull is considered foreign material, downgrading the value of the crop.
How Have The Shipments Been Going?
August shipments were 207 million pounds, up 7.4% over last year and a new shipping record for August. Anyone thinking that inventories were excessive and shipments would trail off may have miscalculated.
Despite shipping issues persisting, exports were up 11% over last August, while domestic eked out a 1% increase. Most prominent is Northeast Asia, with South Korea, Japan, and China, while Spain and Germany led Western Europe.
