Beyond Beauty: The crucial role of almonds to the Valley’s multibillion-dollar agricultural economy
Those snowlike acres of blossoms are so much more than a breathtaking backdrop for selfies.
By CHRISTIAN DE JESUS BETANCOURT
christian@cvlocaljournalism.org
More than a captivating canopy of white blooming flowers blanketing the Central Valley, almonds are a multibillion-dollar industry in California.
Fresno Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen knows those snowlike acres of blossoms are an economic juggernaut, supplying almonds to consumers in much of the nation and world.
“Those blooms represent more than just beauty. They are truly the economics of the San Joaquin Valley agricultural community right now,” he said.
The short-lived blooming window – usually about three weeks around February and March – is crucial to an industry where millions of bees are brought to the Central Valley to help cross-pollinate the crops that will be ready for harvest in August, said UC Cooperative Extension Orchard Crop Farm Advisor Cameron Zuber.
The economics of almonds cannot be understated in Merced County, where almonds accounted for more than $482 million in production value in 2022. More than 172,000 tons were produced during 2022.
Read the full story at The Merced Focus website
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