Have we reached peak almond? It’s a question of intense discussion among California farmer
Have we reached peak almond? It’s a question of intense discussion among California farmers right now. Almonds are the state’s biggest crop, and California in turn is the world’s biggest supplier of the nutrient-rich nut (much to the chagrin of environmentalists, who lament permanent crops like nuts’ inflexible thirst for water).But now, a combination of strong supplies, shipping logjams and persistent drought may be coalescing to produce peak almond.Because almond trees take seven years to begin producing, it’s a long-term decision to stop planting them. Almond acreage actually expanded during the last drought, from 2012 to 2016, as farmers made the economically rational choice to spend their scarce water on the high-value crop. But the latest drought, which started in 2020, is forcing a reconsideration. -- source link
#almonds#california#tree crops#politico#debra kahn#hannah farrow