FROM THE EXECUTIVE
remains strong with the industry on the verge of selling out of product from this season ’ s reduced crop , having just posted another record sales month in October . Global pricing remains low but has improved marginally in recent times .
The Australian almond crop estimate for the 2024 season is 164,700 tonnes - 59.4 % higher than the current season ' s official intake of 103,381 tonnes .
two focus areas for the ABA . Working with the Murray Darling Basin Authority through our membership in the NFF , National Irrigators Council and the NSW Irrigators Council we will continue to collaborate on the best ways to deliver the Basin plan . The presence of varroa mite in NSW has the ABA working with the beekeeping community , various state agencies and other affected pollination dependent industries to develop a hive movement plan for 2024 and beyond . There are now about 400 sites in NSW where the mite has been found and it is only a matter of time before it spreads beyond the state border . Work on educating commercial and recreational beekeepers on managing varroa is a critical part of the process .
Website
The ABA has updated its website and divided it into two domains . One is specifically for consumers and the second a resource for the industry . Users can access both from either site , but the intention is to use both to service different groups . The experience off the past 18 months has highlighted that a lot more needs to be done to educate general consumers on the health benefits of almonds as well as the multiple uses of almonds and the story of how they are produced . As our industry continues to grow , so does the need for more on-farm industry knowledge , education and resources . Instead of stagnating like an old shop window , both sites will continually be updated and be promoted as live resources .
The two domains are : www . australianalmonds . com . au www . almondboard . org . au
As reported : 2024 crop estimate
The Australian almond crop estimate for the 2024 season is 164,700 tonnes ( kernel weight equivalent ). The Almond Board of Australia ’ s annual crop estimate aggregates grower estimates from across the industry . This 2024-25 crop forecast is 59.4 % higher than the current season ’ s official intake of 103,381 tonnes and represents a return to average type yields across the five growing regions in Australia . New season harvest is expected to start in February next year . There was speculation before the announcement that the number might be higher . Reports around SA ’ s Riverland suggest the crops are well up on average but the estimates seem much closer to industry averages the further east the orchards were located . The ABA released LandIQ spatial mapping data earlier this year that confirmed the industry ’ s footprint , largely across the southern Murray Darling Basin , was just over 62,400 hectares . The 2024 crop prediction places almond production back on its longterm trajectory of more than 200,000 tonnes within the next 3-5 years . The ABA plans to commission its second LandIQ mapping event later in 2024 to cover new plantings and also any replants or tree losses due to the wet weather of last summer . Demand for Australian almonds
As reported : Position report October 2023
Demand for Australian almonds continued in October with a fourth record sales month for the 2023-24 season . The report published earlier this month highlighted the ongoing demand for Australian product in markets that attract an advantage of import duties . Turkiye has emerged as a source of ongoing growth that is expected to continue into 2024 with higher duties being placed on all almonds . Data aggregated by the Almond Board of Australia shows that combined domestic and export sales season to date was up 9.47 % on last year ’ s record high despite the crop being down by more than one third . The ongoing growth was fuelled by the best October for exports in history and improved domestic sales , up 4 % season to date . Overall sales for the eight months of the new season from March to October now tally 102,767 tonnes . For the first time in many years , Australian almond sales for the season - with four months to go - will exceed the actual intake tonnage for the same season ( ie : 103,381 tonnes ) and leave the industry with a very low carry-out . Indian sales are up 129 % on last year with kernel sales up from 127 tonnes last season to 4388 tonnes . Turkiye , Spain and the Middle East are up significantly while China sales are down 28 % but still represent 35 % of total exports . Exports across 41 countries are up 11 % on the same time last year . Pricing has improved marginally since last month with Stratamarkets reporting an almond index price across inshell and kernel of US2.10 / lb . While this is an improvement from the 1.80s quoted in September , the strengthening Australian dollar has taken some of the gloss off the potential returns after the exchange rate is taken into account .
All the best
The board and staff of the ABA wish all industry stakeholders a happy holiday season and here ’ s hoping for better fortunes in 2024 for the world almond industry .
industry . australianalmonds . com . au
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