Almonds: Australia's April exports reach record level

 Almond exporters report good export figures. US shipments are slowly picking up, Spain's exports remain well above last year, and Australia could face a new record season.

Spanish almond exports are well ahead of last year. 

Spain's almond exports are maintaining their lead over last year, even though the pace of exports is slowing as the season progresses. In April this year, the export volume of 10,770 mt was just behind the same month last year (April 2021: 10,948 mt). Shipments to main consumer countries such as France (-2.2% to 2,476 mt) and Germany (-0.7% to 2,097 mt) fell slightly, while exports to Italy increased by 16% to 1,993 mt.

In total, 116,206 mt of shelled and unshelled almonds have been shipped overseas from Spain since the beginning of this season, almost 10% more than in the first nine months of the 2020/2021 season. Major consumer countries such as France, Germany, and Italy increased their imports year-on-year, while shipments to Belgium and Portugal also increased. At the same time, shipments to the UK, the Netherlands, and the USA were lower. (Mundus-Agri) 

Australia with new record figures

The Australian Almond Bord was already confident at the beginning of the calendar year that the good export results of last year could be continued thanks to the new record crop. Indeed, in the first two months of the new season (March-April 2022), a total of 8,692 mt of almonds were exported from Australia, a good quarter more than in the same period last year. In April 2022, export volumes were about 17% higher than the same month the previous year, setting a new monthly record of 5,814 mt.

Shipments to China were up by almost two-thirds to 4,014 mt in the first two months of this season, and exports to Spain, New Zealand and the Netherlands were also up on last year's volume. At the same time, however, shipments to India, which is also one of the main customers, fell by almost 40% to 1,021 mt. 

New US estimates at the beginning of July.

The price increases in the Spanish almond market were only short-lived; prices already fell again the following week. Spanish Valencias, 12/14 mm, and US almond prices are also back at the previous level in the European spot market. The predicted crop decline in Spain could nevertheless cause some turbulence in the new season, but at the same time, according to current estimates, the US crop should still achieve a good result compared to the crops of the past five years. The objective estimate of the National Agricultural Statistics Service is to be published on 8 July. The good US export results of the past months at least helped to clear the high stocks, which makes market players more optimistic about the price formation for the coming crop.