The latest information, trends to watch for, and must-read insights about global markets for almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, macadamias and hazelnuts.

The latest updates on the global almond market, including bullish and bearish trends.

The bloom has been off to a late start this year and this may most likely extend the bloom (effectively slowing down the progression). Temperatures have been down, and it has been windy - none of this bodes well for bee flight or pollination of the trees. As nonpareil and other popular almond varieties and sizes begin to become in tighter supply, prices continue to firm on these grades. Meanwhile, the pollinators remain at lower levels and the spread has widened once again. At this point, risk of waiting to purchase seems...

National Almond Day was on Thursday, February 16th as we welcome in the 2023 Almond Bloom. The bloom has just begun and so far conditions look good. The Almond Board of California released the January shipment report. It was a “true trifecta” as shipments for January was shipments for January was an all-time record for the month with 229.6 million pounds, up +29.6% over last years 177 million pounds. We also had the largest sales month historically with an impressive...

All is aligning for good bloom weather. The Almond Board of California released the January shipment report Thursday, February 9, 2023. This was a record shipment for any January previously at 229.6 million pounds, up +29.6% over last years 177 million pounds. With crop receipts slowing down dramatically having only received 98.5 million pounds for January, new crop sales were very impressive with 350 million pounds sold in January.

Each day we are moving closer to bloom, if you need a date for the start of the bloom let’s use February 8th. After a quick walk through the orchard, bud formation can be seen on the trees already. With the industry sitting at a little over 1.04 billion pounds shipped to date, we await next week’s position report with industry expectations greater than the 177 million pounds shipped last January. This should move the industry into a...

California continues to have a respite from the rain and snow experienced during holidays and through most of January. As January quickly comes to an end, we will start to look forward to the February bloom, which is right around the corner now! As the industry sits at a little over 1.04 billion pounds shipped to date in the current crop year, and just under -2% behind last year at this time, almonds are perhaps at the lowest values anyone has seen in recent history.

After yet another major storm this weekend, we finally have a break in the weather in California. Since Christmas day, we have had only three days in California with no rain in the valley. Total shipments for December were 206.35 million pounds, a pleasant surprise for the industry which had expectations of only 190 million pounds.  It is the 3rd largest December in history.

Storms continued to roll through all of California. The Almond Board released the December position report on January 12th - shipments for December were strong with 206.4 million pounds up 9.3% above last December. Domestic shipments remain trailing last year’s shipments -8.7% to date, while export shipments were a shining star with 153.9 million pounds shipped up 23.6%.

Happy New Year! As we welcome in 2023, out west we are getting pummeled with storm after storm.   It has caught many by surprise as we have received so much rain in Northern California that we experienced flooding in the North Valley with levy breaches shutting down a major freeway (Highway 99) for two days.

California continues to receive rain and snow which is great for all the western states. We have had storms pass through one after the other with more coming this week and next week. Could this be the winter we so badly need to bust the three-year drought?

With this being the first official week of winter, it sounds like it will be a doozy as the “Arctic Bomb” brings extreme low temperatures to the Midwest and upper eastern states affecting as many as 90 million people. They are saying that the temperature can drop by 30 degrees within minutes! We’ve seen cold temperatures this week, but no rain in sight until possibly next week...

The November shipping report was released on December 13 by the Almond Board of California. Only 493 million pounds were received for the month bringing the total year to date to 2.15 billion pounds, which is -7.00% behind total receipts of a year ago. The objective estimate of 2.60 billion pounds is still very much in focus...

California welcomed a storm over the weekend, including a significant amount of snow, with totals currently 175% to normal with a base of over 102” in some areas. Some light showers are expected over the next 24 hours on and off through-out the north region of the state. It is a good start, but so much more will be needed...

We saw minimal rain last week, as it vanished as quick as it appeared. The extended forecast shows nothing in the immediate future. We are expecting cooler temperatures for the next 10 days with lows down to 32 degrees in the morning and highs of 65 during the afternoons. Unfortunately, this has become more of the norm in the last few years than the exception...

We saw minimal rain last week, as it vanished as quick as it appeared. The extended forecast shows nothing in the immediate future. We are expecting cooler temperatures for the next 10 days with lows down to 32 degrees in the morning and highs of 65 during the afternoons. Unfortunately, this has become more of the norm in the last few years than the exception...

The California weather continued to exhibit more rainfall this week along with additional snowfall in the Sierras. While it has been a welcome sight, we need a dozen more storms just like this to combat the drought. We have received 3” of rainfall thus far, which remains below the 6” average for the month. Unfortunately, there is no rain forecasted for the next 10 days...

Winter officially arrived in California. A strong winter storm moved through the state and dropped over 6” of fresh snow in the Sierras and is expected to continue throughout next week. Another chance of rain is forecasted for the weekend and into next week, which has the potential to help the California water supply and the trees recover from the drought...

We saw temperatures drop to the low 40’s to high 60’s this week. While no measurable rain has come, we did see snow up in the high Sierra’s. Nevertheless, rain remains out of the forecast for the next 10 days. Growers have done as much post-harvest irrigation as their water supply will allow (a very important procedure due to stressed trees) and now with winter on the way, the health of the trees will be left up to mother nature. 

California weather continues to remind us we are very much experiencing drought-like conditions. We have enjoyed an extended summer this October as temperatures are hitting the low 90’s this week. However, a cooling trend with expected temperatures in the low 70’s is forecasted for next week...

The almond harvest is quickly coming to a close. Most growers have completed their harvests, except for those impacted by the rain event we experience three weeks ago. While we are on the subject of rain, the extended forecast shows nothing in our future. October is typically a dry month, despite last year’s two atmospheric rivers that came through...

The almond harvest continues this week as we get closer to some of the final varieties being picked up off the orchard floor and will soon be on their way to the huller/sheller’s for the first stages of processing, whereby field runs are converted into inshell or almond kernels...

After a five- or six-day delay in harvest due to the rain events that moved through California last week, harvest is now back in full swing. Crop receipts have been slow to arrive as huller/shellers appear to be backed up. October will be action packed as a result...

The cooler weather along with extensive cloud cover was notable and helped with several of the current forest fires we have burning in Northern California—primarily the Mosquito Fire. The extended forecast over the next ten days calls for dry, sunny weather with temperatures in the mid-80’s to low 90’s. 

With over 10 days of temperatures reaching as high as 115 degrees in many areas of the state, we finally had a break in the weather over the weekend. Temperatures are back to the normal mid-80’s to low-90’s for this time of year. Some areas even experienced trace amounts of rainfall this week, and while it was nothing too substantial, it was nice to see something falling from the sky other than ash...

California continues to experience one of the most extreme heat waves this September, having already set over 20 new records. We have had nine days in a row exceeding 104 degrees or higher, with the peak of 116 degrees in the valley this week...

Yes, the earth is dry. It does not matter what time of the day the harvest is being conducted, large dust clouds loom over the orchards. The industry restricts harvesting for this very reason to early mornings and usually concluding the day’s work by noon or the hottest time of the day...

California continues to have an extended heatwave with temperatues throughout the growing regions in the mid-90's in the north to mid-100's in the south. No precipitation is expected in the 10-day forecast, as the harvest is fully under way in all regions now...

We have had an ongoing heat wave over the last seven days. The forecast calls for more of the same with 105+ degree temperatures continuing through next week as well. Last Friday the Almond Board of California released the July position report which reflects the final shipping month of the 2021/2022 crop year...

The Almond harvest is slowly underway. The most stressed areas are being harvested first and sent to the huller/sheller’s for initial processing. We have seen the nonpareil variety start to trickle in, as we received some of our first loads early last week. In comparison to last year, the crop appears to be running a little later than what we expected. Regardless, we will continue to see harvest gain steam over the next week or so.

Weather this week in California was a little unpredictable with scattered showers on Monday in some areas of the valley. Nonetheless, it was insignificant as temperatures have remained in the mid 90’s-100's in much of the growing area.  While in some areas the harvest has just begun, some are still irrigating their trees prior to harvest, if they have the water to do it...

Harvest has officially begun. Driving through the southland on Saturday, one could see shaking going on throughout much of the drive. It will only continue to ramp up from here as the rest of the state will also start to get very busy. In the meantime, weather in California remains very hot and dry...

With only a few more days until the first harvests, we see plenty of hull splits on the trees as we walk the orchards. Growers are finishing the last of their preparations for the orchard and equipment. In some of the orchards that show the most stress, harvest may have started this week. Slow at the start, a continuous build-up of more harvesting activity will continue to escalate into the full harvest in August...

California continues to head into the heat of summer with triple digit temperatures throughout much of the growing areas. We are expecting this to remain through the extended 10 day forecast. Growers are monitoring their irrigation practices and will be applying accordingly one last time prior to their harvest, depending on location. Harvest will be starting any day now in the lower region, but truly kicking in within the next two to three weeks throughout the rest of the state...

Happy Objective Estimate!  

In the midst of the summer heat, the objective estimate was released by NASS. 

California's 2022 almond production is forecast at 2.60 billion meat pounds, down 7% from May's subjective forecast and 11% lower than last year's crop of 2.92 billion meat pounds...

Happy Fourth of July! 

Summer heat hit hard this week with triple digit temperatures up and down the state. This has put a great deal of pressure on growers to step up irrigation to keep the trees from stressing, while keeping in mind the limited resources available. This is a very important time for the growing season with another month to go before harvest..

Currently, we are experiencing triple digit temperatures with no chance of relief or cooling for the next five days. With these types of temperatures, harvest could come a little sooner. With the last three position reports having been as strong as they were, the industry has done a nice job putting a dent in the remaining supply...

Our California weather just doesn’t know what it wants to do. Temperatures dropped down to 50 degrees late in the week and the expected high today is 74 in the mid-valley; 20 degrees below the norm for this time of the year...

We are right back to the hot summer weather we would expect for this time of the year. In fact, a high of 105 degrees is forecasted today throughout the valley and growing areas. Irrigation is vital in conditions such as this and growers will be busy making sure their trees are well fed...

It should not go understated as to how dry our state is and the conditions for which all growers of all types will face through the summer and moving forward. No one is taking anything for granted, and while we may have an estimate for a 2.8-billion-pound crop coming, most will remain cautious as to what eventually will be harvested...

California had some scorching hot weather this week with 103 degrees reached in the central valley.  It appears we made it through the hottest days however and are heading to low 80’s just in time for Memorial Day!   The snowpack is disappearing quickly as we are down to 10% to normal for this time of the year.  Interestingly, the state had asked for its citizens to volunteer to use -25% less water, and yet water consumption has increased 35%...

We have moved closer to summer temperatures this week with highs of 98 degrees throughout the valley floor.  Hotter temperatures are in our near future as we will see triple digits early next week.  The drought continues and with precipitation only 50% to normal for California this year, it will be al long hot, dry summer.  Our snowpack now stands at 18% to normal (where California gets over 35% of its water)...

The exciting news for the week however is the release of Almond Board of California’s April position report. The industry shipped 245 million pounds of almonds in April, which marks the second month in a row beating expectations. With three months remaining for the current crop year, the industry may be on track to bring the carry-out down from earlier estimates of 950 million pounds to a very conceivable and more manageable 860 million pounds...

March’s position report was positively received by the industry, in fact, March was the largest shipment month of the year at 245 million pounds. Although this year was significantly short of last March’s (2021) 267 million pounds, in the face of all the logistics issues plaguing the globe, it was a reminder that the demand for almonds remains strong...

April turned out to be the wettest month we’ve had this year. In fact, there was more rain and snowfall in April than we had the first three months of the year combined. Despite April’s last-ditch effort to overcome an otherwise lackluster wet season, the snowpack remains only at 38% of its annual average. Of the state’s more than 1,500 reservoirs, 50% are lower than they should be for this time of the year...

April showers bring May flowers! We continue to have on and off rain this week.While these are not large atmospheric rivers, we know that when in a drought everylittle drop will have a positive effect. Last week the Sierra’s received 12” to 18” ofsnow throughout the northern areas...

Last week we saw unseasonably hot weather, although it only stuck around for a short period of time. This week it feels like February again, and although we did not have any rain in February this year, we did have some rain come through the area on Monday and more is expected by the end of the week. While it may not be a substantial amount of rain, every drop helps! Just the cooler temperatures are something to be grateful for, as they help stretch out water usage. Nobody is ready for 95 degrees yet, especially the orchards...

We are experiencing unseasonably warm weather this week in the California growing region. Temperatures will hit over 95 degrees today and continue through the weekend. This heat wave is over 20 degrees warmer than typical temperatures for this time of year. With an already low snowpack in the Sierra’s, the high temperatures will expedite the snow melting, with it all but gone in the next 30 to 60 days...

The Monday rainstorm that rolled through the growing regions, sprawling from North to South, produced up to half-an-inch of rain. With hail reported in some areas, we did see a decent amount of wind, which helped to dry the leaves, reducing the chance of rust and other possible damage. By this weekend, however, we’ll begin to see temperatures rise, and possibly reach a predicted 90 degrees by the end of next week. The adage of “April showers bring May flowers” does not apply to California weather...

Why have spring when you can go straight to summer? This week we have already hit over 89 degrees in many areas of the valley. It appears to be cooling off next week, but the fluctuation in temperatures speaks to the changing climate conditions we continue to experience in the west and a harbinger of things to come.

This week, California saw some rain, albeit short-lived and unfortunately not enough to move the needle in terms of relieving us from drought conditions. Another storm is expected for Saturday and is anticipated to bring additional moisture to the area. Keeping fingers crossed!

Our dry California weather continues as we begin to experience spring-like conditions. We will see low 70-degree temperatures throughout the valley for the next 10 days with a chance of rain coming early next week. Each day the Sierra snowpack loses ground over the previous month and is now roughly 60% overall to normal...

Following last week’s unexpected cold snap and freezing temperatures in the early mornings, many growers have pulled off the market this week to assess what damage, if any, occurred to their orchards. It should be noted the freeze occurred to the northern and north-central areas of the growing region, while most of the crop is grown in the southern part of the state...

Unsettled weather made its way into California this week. We saw the coldest temperatures thus far, with some of the growing areas dipping into the low 20's. There was also widespread, fast-paced moving rain and hail events that occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the valley...

We are now officially into bloom.  The trees have really exploded and are loving the warm 70+ degree weather during the daytime with plenty of sun to boost. It is not going out on a limb to say it is “ideal bloom weather.”  Beehives can be found throughout the orchard floors, providing plenty of work for the bees as the bloom happened rather quickly...

Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day! California continues to have spring-like conditions with temperatures in the 70's up and down the state. January was on record as one of the driest months in history with no measurable rain or snow...

As previously reported, January was one of the driest months on record, with no significant rain or snow after a wonderful December. Forecast in the valley is for continued sunshine through the next 10 days with temps in the high 60’s and low 70’s. This aligns perfectly for the bloom which typically starts the second week of February...

January has all but come and gone. This month will go on record as one of the driest January’s in recent history, with virtually no rain or snow for the month. With the Almond Bloom just around the corner, the extended forecast is calling for a dry beginning to February as well...

California weather remains a mystery.  Despite a great December, weather-wise, there were high hopes for continued rain and snow.  Unfortunately, hope is not something we can plan on, as the extended forecast for the next ten days does not include either of the two.  It appears we received our anticipated January snow earlier in December...

January seems to be flying by as always. While we had an amazing December filled with rain in the valley and snow in the Sierra’s, January has been dry thus far, with no rain or snow forecasted for the next ten days...

Happy New Year to everyone.  We had a great December in California from the standpoint of winter.  Our snowpack now stands at 160% of normal.  It has been an early winter with 116” of snow falling in the last two weeks in some areas of the Sierras...  

ofi is wishing everyone a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!  It has been an amazing year and this is a time to reflect and be grateful for our friends and family. California is getting an early Christmas present with yet another winter storm system coming through...

Holiday Cheers To Everyone.  We are already halfway through the end of the month and 2021 is quickly coming to an end.  I recall last year at this time how excited everyone was that 2020 was almost over and how we all looked forward to the New Year and putting COVID in the rear view mirror....

Weather in California has been dry, cold and foggy throughout much of the central valley.   However, a large storm is now headed our way with expected precipitation starting Sunday and carrying on into next week....

We hope everyone enjoyed their long holiday weekend and were able to enjoy the time with family and friends.  We certainly had some great weather for spending time outdoors with temperatures in the 70’s throughout most of the state....

On behalf of the entire ofi team, we want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  We are all thankful for your continued support and wish everyone a safe and healthy holiday season. ...

Fog has returned to the valley, of the like we have not been seen in many years.  This is attributed to the “atmospheric river” we experienced two weeks ago moistening the ground, followed by cold temperatures...

Our November weather in California continues to be encouraging. We have had a few more rain showers this week, as well as throughout some of the growing regions of the state.  While there have not been any large storms like we saw in October, we are grateful for any precipitation we can get...

November is quickly upon us!  This year it actually feels like November weather here in California.  We have had patchy follow-up rainfall after the “Atmospheric River” of a week ago and more patchiness is expected over the next few days...

Each week we start off talking about our weather here in the west.  This is important to emphasize how critical it is to agriculture in the great state of California; and what weather we had this weekend!...

It is so refreshing to finally see some wetter weather hit California.  For some areas, it has been over 200 days since they received any rain.  Well, that has all changed this week as we have had as much as 1” to 2” of rain in the Northern part of the state...

The first two days of the week saw strong winds come through the valley with gusts above 60 miles an hour in some areas.  While there was no precipitation in the valley, there were reports of up to 6” of snow in the northern Sierra’s...  

As we move quickly into October, we have seen only subtle changes to the weather.  It looks to be an Indian summer in California.  While there was a chance of rain this week, it only resulted in some high clouds and slightly cooler temperatures...

The 2021 crop season started with record shipments in the month of August of 207 million lbs., up 7.41% over last August...

September is all but in the books.   Change is certainly in the air.  Temperatures in California are moderating and the wildfires, while still burning, are closer to being controlled.  However, we are not out of the woods yet...

The weather throughout California has remained hot and dry this week.  There is little in the forecast that shows anything differently for the next 7 days as the drought persists...

We were awakened to the sound of thunder and bright lightning strikes Friday morning, quickly followed with a cloud burst of rain.  Yes, rain in Northern California after waiting for over five months, it was a beautiful thing!   Hopefully this will be a sign of things to come...

September is upon us, and while we saw a slight change in the weather with more mild and cooler conditions, it was a brief reprieve. Temperatures have spiked again and remain in +100 degrees up and down the state for the next 5 days, unseasonably hot dry conditions...

With just one week of August left, almond harvest is in full swing up and down the state. News of smaller kernel sizes continue to dominate the conversation.  At this point, one would have to believe that the larger size kernels will be even harder to find than they were last year...

The latest information about the overall market situation, insights, and supply-demand trends across the world based on information from the Almond Board of California's July Position Report.

It may sound like a broken record, but California remains dry, smoky, and dusty. Our brave firefighters continue to battle raging forest fires and while new fires pop up, previous ones remain uncontained...

The California central valley continues to experience a heatwave with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees over 10 days now.  It is forecasted to continue through the weekend.  Of course, this does nothing to help our situation with wildfires or the drought as concerns continue to escalate...

The California wildfires continue, with increased lightning strikes last weekend and high winds — exerting their presence and persistence on the state. Many of us up north woke up Monday morning to ashfall, as well as a thin layer of ash covering everything outside. 

August is quickly approaching, and the almond harvest continues to expand through the growing regions with the earliest varieties currently underway.  Soon the first loads will reach the Huller/Shellers and within the next two weeks we should start receiving new crop at the plant levels...

Wow, what a week!  Harvest has officially begun around the valley.  Trees are shaking and almonds are falling… to the ground, that is.  If we’re talking about prices, we all know that’s a little different story...

The USDA/NASS objective estimate was released on Monday.  For the 2021 crop there is an estimated 2.80 billion pounds now expected. This is counter to the subjective estimate in May that called out a possible 3.2 billion pound crop...

California continues to be in a real swelter!   The Governor of the state is calling for additional watering restrictions as reservoirs fall below 30% to normal...

With the June shipping report coming out on July 9th and the long awaited Objective Estimate scheduled to be released the following Monday, July is set to bring some fireworks to the category...

The almond growing season has been excellent thus far despite drought like conditions.  While we have had unseasonably hot temperatures, there have been cool downs at night and the last 5 days the temperatures cooled off to a more reasonable high in the low 90’s and morning lows of 59 degrees.   Unfortunately we are headed back up to triple digits this weekend and into next week...

The Central Valley will be expecting triple digit temperatures again this week for the next 5 days.  These are unseasonably hot temperatures, well above normal for this time of the year, and will likely set records in many areas.  This leads to increased stress on the orchards and of course more pressure on the water supply...

The Almond Board of California released the May position report on Thursday, June 10th. Key highlights and observations are available in our latest market report.

Californians made it through the heatwave last week, we are now enjoying lower to mid-70’s temperatures this week. A short respite before we are back into the high 90’s and triple digits again next week...

The forecasted triple digits for the valley on Monday did not disappoint.  As temperatures rose well over 100 degrees in most areas throughout the valley, snow pack was being reported at zero for June 1, 2021 across 22 locations in the state.  This is unprecedented as we head into the summer with virtually no runoff from the Sierras...

Wishing everyone a happy Memorial Day weekend, while honoring the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the U.S. military, so that we can enjoy our freedom...

California went from the high 90’s last week to an unexpected 6” of snow in the Sierras this week.  Temperatures throughout the valley have dropped to the low 50’s at night to a daytime high of 70 degrees.  No one is complaining after a taste of the summer heat last week...

This week has brought more summer heat, as temperatures will hit a high of 97 degrees in some areas of the growing region and pretty much stay in the mid to high eighty’s all of next week.  As previously mentioned, drought conditions are grabbing the headlines now.  Throughout the state, water conditions only worsen.  It is very early into the fire season, yet it is already upon us with 13,922 acres burned thus far throughout the state...

With May already upon us, we are experiencing summer conditions in California. The forecast is for mid-90’s this week and into next week.  With this unseasonably hot weather we are already seeing grass fires in pockets throughout the valley...

We went from a short spring into summer in the course of a few days.  California saw 75 degree weather last week, followed by rain and snow over the weekend; now we are going to see 90 degrees the rest of the week through much of the valley...

The California weather continues to astound us with summer-like conditions one day and spring-like conditions the next.  We have seen swings in the temperature in a single day by as much as 40 degrees...

There has still been no official announcement of a drought in California, but it is only a matter of time.  We continue to have dry conditions throughout the state...

California saw another blissful week of weather with temperatures running in the mid-70’s and hitting 80 degrees in some areas.  While temperatures do drop to the mid-40’s at night, once the sun comes up we are experiencing beautiful spring-like days..

The State of California has officially claimed this to be a drought year as we are now in the fourth quarter of our rainy season.  Many water districts are setting water allocations to zero.  Drought conditions are more intense this year than last year...

March weather has been as close to ideal for growing as one could expect.  While we did have a hail storm here and a few days of rain there, it has been relatively event free...

The growing season is well underway.  Temperatures dropped this week and we saw some minor precipitation as well as some hail storms throughout various growing regions; however they were thought to be minor with no significant damage to the orchards...

Another month is on the books for 2021.  The almond bloom progressed very quickly and is all but complete for the later varieties.  We are seeing increased petal fall each day now and many orchards are showing leaf growth with nutlets forming on the early varieties...

Almond bloom is in full swing now throughout the California growing regions.  This week's weather has been excellent following some scattered rain on Friday and Saturday.  Since then we have seen temperatures in the mid to high 60’s with the extended forecast showing much of the same for the next 10 days...

While we see much of the Midwest and East Coast under extreme cold weather conditions, California 's weather has been very mild and we continue to see great bloom conditions...

The weather in California this week has been nothing short of perfect for the almond bloom.  While there is some rain in the forecast tomorrow, overall the projection is for light showers and then back to low 60’s for the next 8 days...

Where oh where did January go?  Well, it is in the books and we keep moving forward.  The weather in California last week brought us some much needed rain and snow.  It kept up through Wednesday this week adding more rain and snow to the Sierra’s

What a difference a week makes.  One of the most significant changes we have seen in a week is our weather.  We went from 70 degree temperatures last  week to the strongest winter storms we have seen all year...

We have had another warm week in California absent of any rain or snow.  As forecasted last week, we saw temperatures in the valley reach into the 70’s.  This is well above normal for this time of the year...

The Almond Board of California released the December position report on Tuesday January 12th. Key highlights on receipts, shipments, sales and commitments inside.

California weather is on everyone’s mind this week as we reach the middle of January and will hit 70 degrees in the central valley.  While it may be enjoyable for us humans, it is not advantageous for our plant life...

We wish everyone a Happy New Year as we look forward to a healthy and prosperous 2021.  The almond market has come back from the holidays firmer following the last two weeks of 2020...

We are wishing everyone a wonderful Holiday Season and Happy New Year.  While we go off to enjoy the holidays with our immediate families, we look forward to the new year with hopes and aspirations of a safe, healthy and prosperous year with many more to come...

The Almond Board released the November shipment report on Tuesday, December 15th. Key highlights inside...

We have finally had a change in weather this week, with a steady driving rain over the weekend and more headed our way this week.  Nothing like the Nor’easter they are expecting in the east this week, but nonetheless a welcome sight to us...

We have reached week 50 of a most incredible year, one we will always remember but wish we could forget.  Unfortunately, it is not over yet!  I do hope we can find some peace in the closing weeks and the holiday spirit will rise in all of us. 

We have turned a corner this week following the Thanksgiving holiday.  Monday opened up with a stark contrast to the last few weeks.  We have seen the market wake up with activity in all our export markets...

With last week's short week and so many off with their immediate families as they celebrated Thanksgiving, it was a quiet week on the sales side of things.  We have enjoyed cooler weather and plenty of fall-like conditions with leaves covering the ground just in time for the holidays, as we bid farewell to November and welcome in December...

We have received some all-important rainfall over the last few days.  It is a welcome change and we already can see a major difference to the air quality in California following a difficult fire season...

The market remained relatively quite this week once more with anticipation of yesterday’s shipping report.  There was some last minute business done as buyers took further positions prior to the report...

November has quickly sprung upon us. With daylight saving time, the clocks are rolled back and the days are short again.  The almond market has been quiet once again throughout most markets this week.  We as processors are very busy producing, packing and shipping everything possible to meet current demand and deadlines for November and through December.

Just when we were feeling the worst of the wildfires were behind us, another major one breaks out.   We had some winds this week that reportedly reached over 79 miles per hour causing a fire that has so far resulted in over 50,000 people evacuated in the southland...

We are having a long summer in California.  With this extended hot and dry weather, the harvest has been uneventful in terms of no issues with rain.  This has helped with the extended harvest period needed to bring in this large crop.  As I drove from Northern California to the South today, it was evident that harvest is all but complete now...

California can finally say that we have our wildfires under control.  We have seen the air quality throughout the state show marked improvement over the weekend, and it continued to improve all week.  It is a welcome sight after 6 weeks of fires and smoke.  With over 1.2 million acres of almonds, the harvest does not happen overnight.  Having said that, deliveries of the later varieties to the huller/shellers continue. This should all but be completed within the next ten days...

The California wild fires remain on everyone’s mind this week, as Pacific Gas and Electric announces additional power cut offs to over 200,000 residents (North East region of the state) throughout the “danger zone” for several days to come.  This is meant as a precaution that has it’s own political consequences considering its effectiveness thus far.   Our air quality remains for the most part unchanged with poor to moderate levels depending on your location in the state and which way the wind is blowing...

We had a small window of time last week with relief from the smoke, but it was short lived.  Two major fires erupted over the weekend.   Once again we have had uncontrolled fires burning through Napa, causing destruction and evacuations in the region.  Readings on the trusty phone app show severe outdoor air quality.   The sun is once again muted as we experience heavy discharge of smoke and ash reminiscent of last year and the year before.   Yes, it is becoming all too common of an occurrence...

We are finally starting to see some blue skies here in California as the weather changes to fall-like conditions.  Higher dew points in the mornings are helping to slow the fires and clear the sky.   There was some rain in the southern part of the state over the weekend also helping to subdue the fires.  While there is still a haze in the sky it is nothing like it was just a few days ago.  We remain appreciative of what we have...

The wildfires continue to rage out of control in many areas of California along with Oregon and Washington.  Our prayers go to all the families affected by the fires and the souls that have been lost.  Special thanks to the brave women and men firefighters and support crews that are fighting to protect us.  With the amount of smoke and particulates in the air we have actually seen temperatures fall several degrees, which has slowed down the natural drying process that occurs after shaking the trees while the almonds lay on the ground...

For those of us in California the wildfires remain centerstage, as our skies across the state are filled with smoke and ash.  There is literally nowhere to hide from it or any area that has not been impacted.  But, we are resilient and hope our lungs will be as well.  

The Almond Board released the August shipment report this morning, marketing the first month of shipments for the new crop year 2020...

The temperatures in California's Central Valley moderated down to the low 60’s at night and highs of low 90’s this week.  This is allowing the firefighters to take advantage as they start to get a grip on the fires still burning, now closer to a 50% containment in most areas.   Unfortunately, it will be short lived as temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 109 by Sunday throughout the greater part of the growing region...

California wildfires continue to rage on and everyone throughout the state is affected and experiencing significantly poor air quality.  Yet the harvest must go on, and on it goes.   Temperatures throughout the state have moderated, but we do expect temperatures to remain in the mid to high 90’s for the next 10 days.

California is experiencing a heatwave that is prolonged and more intense than anticipated.  This has been ongoing for the last five days and is expected to continue for the next 7 to 10 days with temperatures in excess of 100 degrees each day.  It has been widespread and exceeds records set over a decade ago.  We also saw rain in various regions of the state over the weekend as well.  Only time will tell any effect it may have on harvest...

As of this week, harvest has begun on a small scale in most southern valley regions.  Each day we will see more and more harvesting until fully ramped up throughout all growing regions.  Soon the hullers / shellers will also start running at full capacity.

On July 7th the objective estimate of 3.0 billion pounds was reported, we received the June position report from the Almond Board of California a few days later on July 10th.  The industry managed to ship 175 million pounds, up 6% from last year’s 165 million pounds. This does reflect the easing of the lockdowns in many of the shipping destinations around the world...

This week brought great anticipation of the 2020 USDA’s NASS Almond Crop Objective Estimate.  This year the estimate was directly in line with the growers Subjective Estimate of 3.0 billion pounds.  This leaves little doubt or question in anyone’s mind, we will have a record crop!  Based on the current estimate of 1.26 million bearing acres, this represents an average yield per acre of 2,380 lbs...

Since the first of the year and the onslaught of COVID-19 that soon followed, we have seen the almond market continue to weaken.  For the first time since, we have finally seen the market firm up modestly over the last two weeks...

The cashew market is seeing a decrease in kernel demand and an increase in RCN demand. Currently, the most active kernel buyers are Middle East and India markets. Strong Indian domestic kernel demand has enabled Indian processors to pay up for West African inshells, and therefore contributing to an increased inshell pricing...

On Inshells: Northern Hemisphere, 2022 crops:
West Africa crops are starting to enter across the region. From a size perspective, crops look to be in line with last year, and in some regions slightly better. To determine the final quality, we will need to wait a few more months...

With the inshell crop season coming to an end in the Southern Hemisphere, we expect crop sizes to be +/- 5-10% larger versus last year in Tanzania, while Indonesia's new crop arrivals in November in look to be weak compared to last year. In the northern hemisphere, forecasted heavy rains may impact growing in Vietnam and Cambodia, while WAF and India can expect a similar growth year.  In regards to Kernels, prices are historically low, and the consumption and demand is signaling to pick-up again...

With the inshell crop season complete in the northern hemisphere, the focus has now shifted towards kernels. After a slight correction in May, prices have been moving up steadily. There is now a growing concern about the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam and its potential impact on the supply chain...

Short crops, logistical challenges, supply chain disruptions, defaults, price renegotiations, COVID-19’s 3rd wave… these are a few buzzwords that we’ve been repeatedly hearing over the last few weeks.  Let’s explore the facts to understand why the cashew market has suddenly turned bullish....

With Vietnam now back from the holidays, the cashew market has been quite active over the last couple of weeks. We saw a change in sentiment with both Vietnam and India actively contracting inshells from West Africa...

The cashew market has been range bound over the last couple of months and everyone seems to be on the sidelines waiting for news to start trickling in from West Africa and Vietnam...

The cashew market continues to trade sideways in line with the trends in the last couple of months. In Vietnam shippers are facing shortages of containers to ship their cargo and buyers who bought FOB contracts are facing shipping challenges...

We experienced another quiet month with low volumes traded on cashew kernels. Again, despite the lack of large-scale buying interest, prices continue to remain firm...

The cashew kernel market continues to be silent with no major buying interest over the last several weeks. Despite the lack of large-scale buying interest, prices continue to remain firm...

The market continues to remain reasonably silent. There is no major buying or selling activity to report. Surprisingly, despite the silence, we have only seen kernel prices inching up. Buyers who were keen to cover in July and early August have stopped buying or slowed down their activity as they have seen indications of resistance from sellers to offer for new crop...

The cashew market has been reasonably silent in the last few weeks. We have seen interest from buyers to cover their needs for 2021 as the current levels appear attractive. As it is difficult to hedge far forward sales, the volume of trades for forward position is suspected to be low...

Cashew inshell prices have been rangebound over the last few weeks and it appears that a bottom has been reached. We have also seen participants who were holding inshell inventories start to liquidate some of their positions. We expect the trades in inshells to reduce significantly in July as West Africa and Vietnam harvest comes to an end...

Cashew markets are currently marked by a lack of any significant activity. Shellers in Vietnam are worried about a price fall and they are closing their factories, which is resulting in lower availability. At the same time, they are also reducing their inshell purchases...

The cashew market continues to be quiet. One would expect markets to trend lower with lack of buying support. On the contrary, cashew kernels have been surprisingly resilient. This could be attributed to the slower pace of inshell arrivals in West Africa, as we near the end of the current harvest in most countries...

The cashew market has been reasonably quiet for the last couple of weeks.

Inshell trade from Africa continues at a brisk pace and farmers in West Africa have started selling their harvest which was stored for some time. This storing of inshells was prompted by general lack of buying interest at the beginning of the season and COVID-19 related restrictions...

Last week the IVC government declared lower estimates of this year’s cashew crop by about 10%. This is also in line with our expectations, as we have already been reporting this over the last several weeks...

The COVID-19 situation in Vietnam is improving and the alert status is now down one notch across most regions. We can now say there is less chance of a shutdown in cashew supply from Vietnam and we hope it remains that way....

Many cashew producing countries continue to be under lockdown or are sheltering in place. This has resulted in restricted movement of inshells from the farms to trade centers and lower availability of inshells to trade...

As COVID-19 affects more cashew growing countries, we have seen Africa going ahead with more restrictions, limiting in-shell trading. India continues to be locked down and trade and domestic demand has collapsed...

A lot has happened in the past week in terms of critical events that will influence the course of the markets. Inshell trades have almost come to a standstill as everyone grapples with the COVID-19 response from various governments. Yesterday we heard of India shutting down for 21 days, we have had first signs of restrictions in IVC with the nightly curfew and travel restrictions to upcountry locations. We are also hearing restrictions in Ho Chi Minh City...

The raw cashew season is progressing normally. While harvest is nearing its peak, there are still serious stumbling blocks to smooth trade flow. Côte d'Ivoire’s (IVC) minimum price is still holding strong and we are hearing unconfirmed reports of some cross-border flow. The majority of the IVC crop is still held in-country, with limited takers in India or Vietnam...

As this is the inshell harvest season, we start with the biggest producer of inshells in the world, Côte d'Ivoire (IVC).  As we explained in the previous report, the IVC government has set a minimum price for cashew inshells to protect small cashew farmers.

Unfortunately, kernel trades have happened lower than this price level due to various factors including...

Cashew kernel market has been soft due to lack of significant buying support for over ten months now. However, despite the lack of buying support, the market was showing resistance to trade below a certain threshold until January 2020. The resistance to further fall in prices was due to lack of availability of cheaper inshells...

The first shipment month of the 2022 crop season is officially under way. The California walnut industry is off to a decent start, with both shipments and commitments slightly higher than last year. Strong commitments are necessary, as the industry is focused on an improved start compared to last year...

The 2021 crop year finished strong with record shipments in August of 36,546 tons, beating the previous record for August by 11%. The strong shipments in August could be an effect of the lag experienced in July, due to protests at the port. Exports, the biggest driver, were up 52%. For reference, exports were down 23% in July. Preliminary 2021 crop carryout stands at 136,673 tons, pending an expected minor adjustment by the USDA in the coming months. The carryout matches our forecast provided last month...

April shipments were a significant improvement over the last six months, with shipments being up versus last year for the first time since September, and up double digits at 10.1%. This is certainly another step in the right direction as the industry continues to chip away at the carry out number, with our current carry out projection being around 125k tons. It is worth noting that 97.5% of the 2021 crop and 85.8% of total supply is already sold...

April shipments were a significant improvement over the last six months, with shipments being up versus last year for the first time since September, and up double digits at 10.1%. This is certainly another step in the right direction as the industry continues to chip away at the carry out number, with our current carry out projection being around 125k tons. It is worth noting that 97.5% of the 2021 crop and 85.8% of total supply is already sold...

May shipments continued the positive shipment trend with an all-time record set for May shipments at 57,748 tons. This is 29% higher than the previous record for May of 44,478 tons, set last year. This is undoubtedly a large step in the right direction, and has lowered our carryout projection to roughly 120k tons...

April shipments were a significant improvement over the last six months, with shipments being up versus last year for the first time since September, and up double digits at 10.1%. This is certainly another step in the right direction as the industry continues to chip away at the carry out number, with our current carry out projection being around 125k tons. It is worth noting that 97.5% of the 2021 crop and 85.8% of total supply is already sold...

While March shipments were technically down 1% versus last year, the California walnut industry continues to take large steps in the right direction. March (2021) was an outlier and was 21% larger than any other March in history; this March (2022) was basically flat to last. YTD shipments continue to improve, originally down 22.4% at the end of December to down only 15.8% at the end of March. Sales for the month of 81,553 tons are also considerably higher than each of the last three months and the largest we have seen since November...

The 2022 crop harvest is all but over. The most recent Administrative Committee for Pistachios (ACP) inventory report shows the current crop receipts at 864 million pounds. An updated report will be released in the coming weeks and should reflect the final crop size, which is expected to be roughly 875 million pounds...

The final shipment report of the 2021 crop year was released by the ACP last week. The 2021 crop carryout stands at 354 million pounds, which is an increase in 70 million pounds (or 25%) compared to last year’s carry over of 284 million pounds. The carryout is down considerably from the originally anticipated 450+ million pounds earlier this year. However, it is important to note that some volumes have been shipped unsold overseas to destination markets...

The 2022 pistachio harvest began in California with the earliest fields a few weeks ago and is now in full swing. Record heat is forecasted for the Central Valley over the next couple of weeks, which will help to accelerate the harvest. At this point in time, industry sentiment varies widely on the size of the 2022 crop, from sub-1.0 billion pounds to high estimates of 1.2 billion pounds...

In California, nut fill results have started to come in and results are promising for the 2022 crop development. Up and down the state, nut fill looks to be right in line with a normal year. As a result, most industry expectations for the 2022 crop are now between 1.0-1.2 billion pounds. The consensus is that we are likely looking at a crop similar to last year’s 1.16 billion pounds, or slightly short of this...

While the market has slowed down the last couple of weeks, pistachio pricing remains stable for both current and new crop. Both buyers and sellers seem content to wait for additional outlook for the 2022 California crop development. Also, it seems that most packers are fully sold for 2021 crops, as they cannot fit anymore into the production schedules, due largely to shipping constraints...

The pistachio market remains firm, driven by continued strong demand from export markets and limited selling support. At the INC Conference in Dubai, it was revealed that both U.S. and Iran are expecting smaller crops than last year. This announcement, combined with most Independent U.S. sellers being very well sold on 2021 crop, has led to a sharp price increase over recent weeks...

The March shipment report was very strong as pistachios continue to outperform the other California tree nuts on shipments. March shipments were up a total of 35.9%, while total domestic was up 24.7% and total exports up 43.3%. YTD shipments are now up 9.9% versus last year with domestic up 12%, and exports up 8.9%...

Our trusted and experienced Product Line Managers provide the most recent market updates and insights as to what lies ahead for almonds, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamias, peanuts and walnuts...

Demand for inshells was sluggish during October. Driven by lower kernel activity, many smaller processors have shut down their production facilities, resulting from significant disparity between inshell and kernel prices, forcing processors to sell at a direct loss each of their kernel load...

Northern hemisphere crops are essentially over, and all eyes are on southern hemisphere crops, which are driven mainly by Tanzania, Indonesia, and Brazil. Tanzania starts the first of September and official opening is on SeptembFor southern hemisphere 2022 crops, Brazil seems to have a smaller crop than expected and will likely reach 100K-125K mt. In Tanzania, inshell collections will start by the beginning of October, with first auctions likely to happen in the third week of October...

Northern hemisphere crops are essentially over, and all eyes are on southern hemisphere crops, which are driven mainly by Tanzania, Indonesia, and Brazil. Tanzania starts the first of September and official opening is on September 8...

In West Africa, harvest is complete and the final crop numbers look similar to last year. We can expect another 50-60 mt from the Guinea Bissau crop. Some countries like Nigeria had 30% lower crop due to weather events. Ivory Coast, fortunately, did not have any crop issues...

In West Africa, the remaining flows are only those from Benin and Guinea Bissau. About one-third of Benin crops are expected to arrive, but quality has been extremely low with out-turn not coming beyond 43/44 pounds. Half of the Guinea Bissau crops have arrived and the remaining half are expected in the next three to four weeks. The out-turn remains with 52+ pounds high and priced accordingly...

Regarding inshells, West-Africa harvest is essentially complete, with only Benin and Guinea Bissau crops continuing to drip in. Overall yield is in line with last year. Some areas had been severely impacted by rainfall during harvest season, but thankfully Ivory Coast harvest closed these gaps. Regarding quality, we foresee this season to be poor, as quality dropped much faster than in earlier seasons. Shipping challenges remain as majority of the ports have ongoing congestions and there are shortages in availability of food grade containers...

The intercontinental identity crisis within the cashew industry is complete.

Inshell prices remain firm and continue to increase on a daily basis. High demand by exporters and the ongoing demand of Asian processors are responsible for this. The Indian domestic inshell demand looks like an endless pit these days...

The cashew market is seeing a decrease in kernel demand and an increase in RCN demand. Currently, the most active kernel buyers are Middle East and India markets. Strong Indian domestic kernel demand has enabled Indian processors to pay up for West African inshells, and therefore contributing to an increased inshell pricing...

On Inshells: Northern Hemisphere, 2022 crops:

West Africa crops are starting to enter across the region. From a size perspective, crops look to be in line with last year, and in some regions slightly better. To determine the final quality, we will need to wait a few more months...

On inshells: Southern Hemisphere, 2021 crops: Ongoing delays continue in Tanzania and Mozambique due to container/vessel constraints. In both countries, entire crop is committed either for exports or local producers...

On inshells: Southern Hemisphere, 2021 crops: Tanzania auctions are currently in full swing, delay of exports on auctioned quantities continue due to ongoing port congestions and vessel/container availability. This is putting pressure on RCN pipelines, especially in India where local crops are not available for some more time.

On inshells: It is harvest season for southern hemisphere crops. We are hearing Tanzania auctions are going well and price of inshells are stable, but still higher than where kernels are trading. Mozambique season will start soon and here too price indications are high. Both Tanzania and Mozambique have good crops and there is no adverse news on crops.

On inshells: The Northern hemisphere crops are over now. We have seen a slight price correction in September for inshells with lockdown in Vietnam. The Southern hemisphere crop in Tanzania and Mozambique crops are projected to be better than last year with no adverse weather impact.

Northern Hemisphere crop: The Northern hemisphere crops are completely harvested. Crops are slightly lower than last year. A slight price correction happened in August for inshells due to the lockdown in Vietnam...

With the inshell crop season complete in the northern hemisphere, the focus has now shifted towards kernels. After a slight correction in May, prices have been moving up steadily. There is now a growing concern about the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam and its potential impact on the supply chain...

The cashew market had been steadily moving up this year till April, largely been led by short crops and logistical challenges. However, with the COVID-19 situation worsening in India, there was a slight price correction in May and we’re now back to a stable market in June with some early signs of an upward movement. There is now a growing concern about COVID-19 in Vietnam and its potential impact on the supply chain...

The cashew markets moved up by 20-25 cents during the first half of April and have been relatively stable over the last couple of weeks. Demand has been robust in the US and EU along with interest coming from China and Asia-Oceania. Spot availability in markets remains tight and shipment challenges from Vietnam continue. The COVID-19 situation in India is worsening fast and this could potentially have a significant impact on their domestic demand...

Cashew markets are slightly soft due to a lack of major buying activity. Due to high freight costs, especially to the EU, many cashew buyers have postponed shipments. This has left higher than expected spot stock in the hands of Vietnam-ese shippers. The shippers who have stocks are trying to sell them for cash in the spot market before they close the new year. How the markets will behave after the Chinese New Year break will depend on how the crop develops...

The cashew market continues to trade sideways with firm undertones, despite extensive buying and selling activity. On the inshell side: we have Tanzanian auctions continuing at similar levels as previous auctions and so far, around 140,000 tons have been auctioned. It is rumored that the Tanzania and Mozambique crops are going to be below expectations/earlier projections and the crop size will be smaller than the previous year. While this may not meaningfully impact the global demand and supply situation, it is keeping market sentiment firm...

After a few slow months, the last few weeks have seen a good amount of activity across the markets. Celebrating “Golden Week,” China saw good consumption with Alibaba’s Tmall reporting a 79% increase in online sales compared to last year. Most of South East Asia’s countries have been operating cautiously and are able to control the situation. The first week of October reported the highest amount of COVID-19 cases across the globe with additional safeguards and restricted movements being planned as a result, especially in Europe. There have been promotional activities leading to a surge in product demand and overall stabilization of prices as well...

The last few weeks have seen an increased amount of action across commodity markets as buyers look to cover for their 2021 demand at attractive prices. While the situation due to COVID-19 continues to impact the day to day lives as well as businesses across the globe, more and more countries are opening their economies with safeguards in place. The USA, Brazil and India have been showing worrisome signs in number of cases and hopefully their situations improve soon. According to a report, only 24% of the food and drink businesses expect to return to normal operating levels by the end of 2020, giving ominous signs for next few months...

Disruption and uncertainty due to COVID-19 continues to impact markets at a global level. A few countries like Australia, Vietnam, and Japan have been able to manage the situation well so far but as of late are facing increases in cases as well as community spread. India, Brazil, and the USA continue to be the worst affected but have no option except to slowly reopen their economies. Q2 2020 saw the worst negative growth in the US economy, causing a ripple effect across other major markets...

The impact of COVID-19 continues to disrupt global trade as well day-to-day lives across the globe. Situations appear to be worsening in the USA, India, and South America while the rest of the world seems to have reached a stage where normal life can return soon, if it hasn’t already. There has been visible impact across the globe due to job losses, and consumer behavior changes in relation to that are expected. Countries like India and Brazil will see a large amount of demand destruction, especially for higher priced food products like nuts compared to food staples...

The impact of Covid-19 continues to disrupt global trade as well day-to-day lives around the world. There has been an improvement in situations across China, Asia and Europe while the USA, South America and India are still passing through the peak periods. A few economies have started opening with caution and are slowly returning to normal. The long-term impact of our current situation is yet to be seen but fundamental change in consumer behavior and purchase patterns is expected...

Disruptions to global trade and supply chain due to Covid-19 continue to cause short-term impact across most geog-raphies. The oil industry saw unprecedented negative prices due to drastic demand reduction. Service industries like HoReCa, tourism, and travel are heavily impacted while grocery and retail have seen spikes in business. The situation seems to be getting under control in China and manufacturing has started again, bringing comfort to the dependent industries. Europe, USA, and Japan are severely impacted while trying to open their economies as well, which might lead to unwarranted situations in due course...

A lot has happened in the past few weeks in terms of critical events that will influence the course of the markets for the rest of 2020, or perhaps even longer. The dark cloud of COVID-19 has shadowed around the world and people across the globe are all impacted, directly or indirectly. With many countries taking control measures like lockdown, day-to-day lives have come to a standstill. Developed countries with good medical and social systems in place are seeing the stretch on infrastructure...

The cashew market is going through a very interesting time. West African crops started to flow as expected with the IVC, Burkina, and Benin governments declaring minimum farmer prices similar to last year’s levels. Initial flows in Africa, as well as Vietnam and Cambodia, indicate a good crop and consistent supply. The weather may negatively affect this if it doesn’t rain as expected in April and May...

Tanzania’s 2019 crop auction closed at an estimated 225,000 MT, against expectations of over 250,000 MT. The exports from Vietnam have been record highs for 2019, leading to low raw material and kernel inventories at origins. The expectation on West Africa (major supplier of RCN) as well as Vietnam / Cambodia is of better crop than the previous year and should ensure a good supply for next few months...