Nut crop outlook raises concerns locally, statewide

CHICO — With almond trees bearing fruit and walnut trees blossoming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released two reports this week on nut crops. But an action last week by the Butte County Agricultural Commissioner's Office may be a stronger indicator.

For the second straight year, Ag Commissioner Louie Mendoza filed an emergency declaration with the California Office of Emergency Services and California Department of Food and Agriculture due to weather impacts on almonds, covering 40,000 acres in the county. Separate weather conditions affected walnuts last year, too; that crop's outlook remains uncertain.

"We had very cold, rainy, wet conditions — and then we had hail on top of that — that was not conducive to appropriate pollination levels for bee activity," Mendoza said. While walnuts self-pollinate, almonds require pollinators. "I think we’re looking at potentially a 30% crop loss based on the last five-year average of our crop reports."

He’ll know more about walnuts next month and have county reports compiled this summer. But the USDA has published a pair of statewide reports: a 2022 review of nut crops and an early projection of almonds for 2023. The latter, called the subjective report, surveys a sampling of growers in California ahead of the full (or objective) report to come.

Last year, almond production dropped from the previous year — and it is projected to do so again, by 3%. Walnuts held steady from 2021 to 2022, though Mendoza said heat discolored a portion of nuts and mold affected others. For both of those crops, which are prominent in Butte County, acres planted statewide increased.

Almond yield in 2022 was 1,900 pounds per acre, down from 2,220 in ’21. This year's forecast is 1,800. Walnut yield was 1.88 tons per acre the past two years.

"We have been blessed with precipitation, which we are grateful for," said Colleen Cecil, executive director of the Butte County Farm Bureau. "But commodity prices are depressed right now. Walnuts pay half of what it costs to farm the crop.

"Weather has definitely been a factor," she added, echoing Mendoza on the effect of heat on walnuts and rainstorms plus hail on almonds.

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