California 2012 Almond Acreage Estimated To Be Up 4%

California’s 2012 almond acreage is estimated at 870,000 acres, up 4% from the 2011 acreage of 835,000.  Of the total acreage for 2012, 790,000 acres were bearing and 80,000 acres were non-bearing. Preliminary bearing acreage for 2013 is estimated at 810,000 acres.
 
Nonpareil continued to be the leading variety, followed by Butte, Carmel, Monterey and Padre.  
 
Kern, Fresno, Merced and Stanislaus were the leading counties.  These four counties had 63% of the total bearing acreage, down slightly from the previous year.

The subjective production forecast for 2013 is to be released on May 2.