Australia's almond exports made $522 million in sales in 2014-15, with next year’s exports tipped to reach $600 million.
The nut was Australia’s most valuable horticultural export product in the period, according to Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) data.
Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce said the bumper almond crop was good news for Australian growers, exporters and the horticultural industry as a whole.
“According to the latest Almond Insights report by the Almond Board of Australia, the industry is forecast to go from strength to strength, largely because the 2015 crop was 10,000 tonnes larger than that of 2014,” Minister Joyce said.
“The latest USDA data also highlights that global demand for almonds remains strong, with total world consumption for shelled almonds now over one million tonnes per annum, with two-thirds supplied through trade.
“The growth in this industry means we can expect to continue to see the expansion of orchards across the country, which will mean more jobs, more export sales, and increased farmgate returns for growers.”
Under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), import tariffs of 10 to 24 per cent currently faced by Australian almond producers will be eliminated over four years. The industry has already entered an expansion phase, with winter planting forecast to increase the orchard area by 50 per cent to 43,000 hectares planted in the Murray Valley region in New South Wales and Victoria.
According to Almond Insights, investment in new orchards and processing facilities would inject $400 million into the Murray Valley region, and would lead to further economic benefits for growing regions across Australia.
“In addition to the great news for export markets, domestic sales are also up, as people continue to realise the health benefits of eating almonds in the prevention of heart disease, diabetes and other health problems,” Joyce said.
“There is also research being undertaken in Australia to confirm work done overseas on the benefits of almonds to cognitive recognition in dementia sufferers.”
