05 Dec 2013 Almonds 2013: larger crop, smaller size
The US supplies 80 percent of the world’s almonds, with one of the top producers, Blue Diamond Growers, reporting that manufacturers who use almonds will have to gear their recipes around much smaller-than-anticipated nuts, albeit the total crop yield was better than predicted.
Although the 2013 harvest of 1.85 billion pounds is somewhat larger than forecast by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the company notes producers and manufacturers are dealing with the smallest average kernel size in history.
CEO and President Mark Jansen has said that 27/30 size almonds — the number of almond kernels per ounce — are “the new large” and the largest almond are scarce. The reason for the reduction in kernel size is unknown.
Suppliers who rely on a specific size kernel for their product could find shortages and higher prices; however, those who are able to use smaller almonds will likely find abundant supplies and low cost, particularly for the smallest nuts.
Jansen explains more in this YouTube video, including the fact that growing global almond demand is set to outstrip supply.
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