A report released last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture revised the forecast for California's 2012 almond crop by an upward adjustment of 5 percent. The new estimate puts this year's almond crop forecast above last year's record production.The 2012 California Objective Almond Report, which was released last Friday, estimated this year's crop at 2.10 billion pounds, which is more than May's subjective forecast and, if accurate, would mean this year's production would top last year's production of 2.03 billion pounds by 3 percent.
Though this year's bloom season was shorter than usual, favorable weather made up for it and resulted in a very good bloom period. There was some frost damage in the Southern San Joaquin Valley and spotty hail damage in Merced County, but overall weather throughout the state is cited as one of the reasons for this year's optimistic outlook.
At 780,000 acres, the state's bearing acreage is higher than last year's bearing acreage of 760,000. The state's yield, at 2,690 pounds per acre, is also forecast to be higher than 2011's yield of 2,670 pounds per acre.