News

Record season underway for almonds

Mon, 23 Mar 2015 13:24:00

Australia’s almond harvest is well underway, with forecasts of another record season in terms of both volume and value.

The 2015 Australian almond crop is predicted to reach 75,000 tonnes – 13% up on last year – but, significantly, with much of the crop sold even before harvest began. 
The almond industry is now Australia’s largest horticultural export product selling to 50 countries worldwide and expected to earn more than $500 million in export income this year.
The Almond Board of Australia’s CEO Ross Skinner said international factors were driving the record demand for Australian almonds.
“The United States grows about 80 percent of the world’s almonds, and the world-wide impact of the Californian drought has been significant,” Mr Skinner said.
“It has been the key factor in forcing international prices higher and Australia’s export returns more than doubling in the past two years.  But the fall in the Australian dollar value is now also a factor in our competitiveness in key markets in Europe, India and the Middle East,” he said.
The strong forecasts for the new season come off the back of a record 2014, when the value of almond export sales rose 26% to $434 million.
“By the end of 2014 sales were really being restricted by a lack of available product – we had effectively sold out meaning late-season imports had to increase to meet domestic demand,” Mr Skinner said.
“Entering the new season, the barn is empty and marketers have already committed to strong sales.  That puts the industry is in a very good position to market the remaining crop during the rest of the year.”
Industry marketers at the Almond Board’s trade event at Gulfoods Trade Fair in Dubai in February reported Australia was now well regarded as a reliable supplier of quality almonds.  Recent Trade Agreements with Japan and Korea have also bolstered sales, and the industry is positive about progress on agreements with China and India, both large nut markets.
Mr Skinner said the increase in production volume had enabled the industry to continue growing its markets in recent years.
“We will see a tapering off in the rapid rate of growth because of a hiatus in plantings in the past few years, but the current planting boom will drive a significant lift in production in the longer term,” he said