April 9, 2025
By Tim Jackson, CEO of ABA
Australian almonds have experienced a boom 2024-25 selling season with volumes up 29% to an unprecedented 169,541 tonnes (kernel weight equivalent).
This represents an estimated sales value in excess of $1 billion.
Domestic sales have emerged from the doldrums, returning to pre-covid levels while a 35% increase in exports has driven the record figures for the March-February selling year.
Exports to China are up 128% and for the first time Australian almonds held to biggest market share despite being only 10% of world supply. The Australian-China free trade agreement that came into play in 2017 and ongoing trade friction between USA and China continues to prompt Chinese buyers to identify Australian almonds as an appealing alternate source to Californian almonds.
Industry inshell exports increased to 79,696 tonnes, well ahead of the previous biggest annual total of 50,673 tonnes. More than 98% of this volume was shipped to China and India.
The industry’s diversification strategy also appears to be bearing fruit in South-East Asia with pleasing increases in volumes into targeted markets like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
The total volume sold exceeded the 2024 crop intake (153,550) which indicates that processors took the opportunity to clear a lot of older inventory into key manufacturing markets like Turkiye (up 12% and now a significant market to lower grade material).