The Californian almond industry has been demand and distributed to over 90 countries around the world.
In the 2015/16 season, around 36% of the crops remained in North America, 29% went to Western Europe, 25% to Asia and the Pacific, and 9% to the Middle East and Africa.
Apart from domestic consumption (269,000 MT), the main importing countries in 2015/16 were Spain (91,000 MT), China / Hong Kong (64,000 MT) and India (56,000 MT).
There were slight increases in the 2016/17 season, with the June data being 87,940 MT for Spain, 72,064 MT for India and 65,077 MT for China, and domestic consumption was 280,543 MT.
However, the company is working hard to increase global demand with a focus on the Chinese market.
China is the largest importer and exporter of seeds in the world with 1.3 billion consumers making up a huge market.
However, statistics on California almonds exported to China in the last decade show mixed results.
While the surge in demand between 2007/08 and 2011/12 led to deliveries in excess of 100,000 tonnes, the gradual decline over three seasons brought it to less than 60,000 tonnes in 2014/15.
However, the last two years have seen a renewed growth and the industry is determined to maintain this trend.
According to Mr. Waycott, the industry expects to achieve combined shipments to China and Vietnam of 140,000 MT in 2020 and 200,000 MT in 2025.
Nuts and seeds have already been successful in the Chinese food market.
The total value of the confectionery market in China is expected to reach RMB 495.2 billion in 2020, with nuts and seeds accounting for 84% of that market by volume.
ABC's expectations of China and other international markets are backed by extensive marketing and sales research.
Its priorities in the Chinese market are trying to position almonds as a healthy snack, creating a bright and well-branded almond brand, and diversifying apricot kernel almonds, and developing the food industry by promoting the use of almonds in bakeries and chocolate.
Interestingly, these strategies differ from those used in other markets; for example, in South Korea the emphasis is on serving almonds as a morning snack, while in India the emphasis is on increasing the whole family's consumption of almonds rather than their role, usually as a snack for children.
Almond demand
According to an agribusiness expert, Iranian almonds and pistachios will be the most sought-after tree nuts in China.
Grouping nuts into 'growth', 'neutral' and 'falling' demand, the director of China Market recently told the Iranian Nut Conference in Chahar Mahal Bakhtiyari that while the trade of all nuts was growing, almonds in China Domestic production of pistachios, macadamia, pecans took place.
