Nut Growers Out West Feeling the Weight of Water

Almond, pistachio, and walnut growers intent on making a profit — because 99% of them are based in California — should never underestimate the importance of efficient water use. Among the 32 primary nut growers who responded to the annual State of the Fruit Industry survey conducted by American Fruit Grower/Western Fruit Grower, several cite irrigation management as the best thing they did to improve profits in 2025.

• “managed our water applications”
• “irrigation closer to perfection”
• “better water management”
• “didn’t over-irrigate”

All of those responses come from almond growers in California. And tied to each of those remarks are energy costs and water availability.

“The cost of power to irrigate goes up every year and is out of control,” according to one almond grower. Adds another: “Electricity and power charges are skyrocketing. We did not put any excess water on for leaching salts.”

While irrigation costs hurt, nor does water availability help. A California pistachio grower criticizes the allocation of water from Madera County.

“State regulations are the biggest detriments,” a California walnut grower adds. “It feels like California doesn’t want ag to survive in the state. The people in charge have no idea where their food comes from other than the grocery store.”

Farther north, in hazelnut country, some growers are just as discouraged by state regulations and government overreach. “Oregon is very business-unfriendly,” one such grower says. “Taxes and regulations and government oversight are oppressive. Almost punitive.”

HOO-HAH HAZELNUTS

Still, nut growers across the country are largely optimistic. Going into this season 54% are planning to increase production and only 14% are decreasing. Last year 32% experienced a decrease in yield, but 46% saw an increase. Favorable moments included:

• “a higher price for pistachios” (California pistachio)
• “applying beneficial mites with a drone” (California walnut)
• “being paid a fair market price after years of low crop prices” (Oregon hazelnut)
• “surviving the drought with minimum yield loss” (Michigan chestnut)
• “native pecan prices reached economic harvest levels for the first time in five years” (Texas pecan)

Apparently it was a good year to grow hazelnuts. A Michigan grower fondly recalls “selling out of hazelnuts and having dealers ask if we had any more.” Sorry, he told them, “you’ll have to be first into the 2026 crop year.”

And the overregulated hazelnut grower in Oregon? He wound up having an exception season. “We had a large hazelnut crop during a season of difficulty in Turkey, the world production leader. High prices and large crops don’t usually coincide.”

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Click here to see more findings from the 2026 State of the Fruit and Nut Industry survey.