3 billion Pound Almond Crop, But a Diversified Market is Ready to Take Them

Holly King is an almond grower in Kern County and serves as a chairperson for the Almond Board of California. She noted that the trade issues in COVID or a big challenge, but a diversified market for almonds, truly helps to move them.

“It does,” said King. “We've worked very hard to develop demand around the world. So we have a diversity of markets, which certainly served us well when the tariffs hit in China, other markets around the world absorbed what China didn't take,” she said.

“And I also believe that we have challenges moving product into some markets. Most recently, India has been a challenge, mainly because we've had trouble getting things unloaded there,” noted King. “With COVID, it's challenging because a lot of the people moved back to their village.”

And many of those people were port workers helping to unload the ships.

“And you can't blame them for that. And just trying to figure out how we survive through that part of the market. It seems to be clearing up. It depends on who you are and who the customers are,” she said.

King said the almond industry hopes to get past some of these challenges soon.

In more news, the American Pistachio Growers annual summer lunch will instead be replaced with videos from their chairman and other leaders of the group. It will be emailed to the membership.