Californian Almond Market Update – March 2022

Over the last week, California saw large amounts of frost, which we all know is bad for crop. Farmers have been taking measures to mitigate any damage, however, it is feared that this hasn't been much use. The full extent of damage caused by the frost will not be known for at least another couple of weeks. Some symptoms may become apparent within the next 72 hours, although this should only be used as an indication rather than a final analysis. Many farmers and distributors are concerned the 2022 crop yield will suffer as a result. Damage from freezing/frost depends on the development stage of the crop. The earlier the stage, the less severe the damage will be, for example bloom stage or bud stage will not be as severely damaged as orchards in petal fall or nutlet. This year, the bloom is considered to be abnormal, as the Northern areas have started to develop soon than other regions. Farmers and distributors are optimistic that there has not been any major damage to crop due to weather conditions.