MADRID/TOLEDO Oct. 22 (EUROPA PRESS) – Almond production will reach 373,558 tons in the 2024/2025 campaign, a figure that confirms a recovery compared to the previous one of 17.5 percent, and which is a 9.1 percent above the average of the last five campaigns (2019-2023), according to estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Specifically, these data were released during the meeting of the nuts sector table, which was chaired by the general director of Agricultural Productions and Markets, Elena Busutil, and confirms the recovery of the production of this crop that was was greatly affected in the two previous campaigns by frost and drought. However, this reality is not homogeneous throughout Spain, since while in Aragon and Castilla-La Mancha production is 38% and 49%, respectively, above the average of the last five campaigns, in others such as The Valencian Community or Murcia have recorded falls that exceed 35% due to the lack of precipitation in the Spanish southeast. In the meeting with the sector, the balance of the last campaign was also analyzed, both in productive aspects and surface area, foreign trade or consumption in homes. Thus, the nut sector shows significant growth potential in crops such as almond, pistachio or walnut, where the percentages of plantations that are not yet in production are very significant: 15.5% of the total planted area in the case of almonds, 63% in pistachio and 20.3% in walnut. Regarding foreign trade, almonds account for 90% of the total value of exported nuts. It shows a positive balance of 188 million euros, more than double that of the previous campaign, and 35% higher than the average of the last five. In this way, in the 2023/2024 campaign, exports increased by 6.3% compared to the previous one, while imports decreased by 17%. The Ministry has recalled that the main market for Spanish almonds is the European Union, where it reaches 23% of the market share, only behind the United States. In the 2023/24 campaign, sales to the European Union registered a very positive performance, with increases of 14% in volume and 6.7% in value.
POTENTIAL IN ORGANIC CULTIVATION
During the meeting, data on the nut plantations that exist in Spain was also shared. Thus, the area under organic cultivation has been analyzed, which represents a third of the total planted, of which 82% corresponds to almond trees and 12.3% to pistachio. In addition, it is observed that the organic and dry almond tree accounts for 33% of what is registered and 31% in irrigated land. Organic farming has a very significant productive potential, because 22% of the planted area has not yet reached full production (21% in the case of organic dry land and 30.5% in the case of irrigated land). Busutil has pointed out the importance of having information that allows producers to know what is planted to better guide business decisions and encourages the sector to work for differentiation in production. Furthermore, he recalled that as of January 1, 2025, it will be mandatory to reflect the country of origin on the labeling, which offers a “unique opportunity” to differentiate Spanish productions and thus work on their valorization.
