ALMONDS
Almonds are the most widely cultivated and extensively used nuts and nut-like drupes in the world. They come from a nut-bearing tree that reaches a height of 6 to 8 meters (20 to 30 feet) and is a member of the rose family and is related to plums and peaches. Almonds are grown primarily in western Asia, the Mediterranean countries and the Central Valley in California.
Almond trees produce lovely white or pink flowers in the spring. From these blossoms comes fruit with a soft outer coat and shells with nuts inside. Almonds with white blossoms produce bitter almonds that are used in the manufacturing of flavoring extracts and prussic acid. Those with pink blossoms produce sweet almonds that are cooked and salted for snack foods and are processed into paste and butter for use in baked foods, medicines and cosmetics.
Almonds are drupes consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell enclosing the seed. Although they are is commonly referred to as nuts, they are not true nuts. Blanched almonds are unshelled almonds that have been treated with hot water to soften the outer skin, which is then removed to reveal the white embryo inside. Once cleaned and processed, almonds can be stored for around a year in the refrigerator; at higher temperatures, they will become rancid more quickly. Almonds are used in many cuisines and often feature [Source: Wikipedia]
Almonds in the Ancient World
Almonds are one of the world's oldest cultivated crops. The ancient Mesopatamians used almond oil as a body moisturizer, perfume and hair conditioner. Almonds have been in the found in Minoan place in Knossos and were a favorite dessert food of the Greeks. They and pistachios are the only two nuts mentioned in the Bible.
The Natufians (12,500 -9500 B.C.) — hunter- gathers who are believed to have played a role in the development of agriculture — collected almonds, acorns and pistachios.
Almonds come from a species of tree native to Mediterranean climate regions of the Middle East, from Syria and Turkey to India and Pakistan. It was spread by humans in ancient times along the shores of the Mediterranean into northern Africa and southern Europe. The wild form of domesticated almond grows in parts of the Levant and is believed to be native to Armenia and western Azerbaijan where it was apparently domesticated. Wild almond species were grown by early farmers, "at first unintentionally in the garbage heaps, and later intentionally in their orchards". [Source: Wikipedia]
Almonds were one of the earliest domesticated fruit trees due to "the ability of the grower to raise attractive almonds from seed. Thus, in spite of the fact that this plant does not lend itself to propagation from suckers or from cuttings, it could have been domesticated even before the introduction of grafting". Domesticated almonds appear in the Early Bronze Age (3000–2000 BC) such as the archaeological sites of Numeria (Jordan), or possibly earlier. Another well-known archaeological example of the almond is the fruit found in Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt (c. 1325 BC), probably imported from the Levant. +
Almond Trees and Fruit
The almond is a deciduous tree that typically grows 3 to 4.5 meters (10 to 15 feet) tall, with a trunk up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) in diameter. Young twigs are green, turning purplish when exposed to sunlight before becoming gray in their second year. The leaves are 8 to 13 centimeters (3 to 5 inches) long, with serrated edges and stalks about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) long. [Source: Wikipedia]
The fragrant flowers are white to pale pink, measure 3 to 5 centimeters (1 to 2 inches) across, and have five petals. They appear singly or in pairs before the leaves emerge in early spring. Almond trees grow best in Mediterranean climates with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The ideal growing temperature is 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F), and the flower buds require 200 to 700 hours below 7.2°C (45°F) during winter to break dormancy.
The almond fruit is 3.5 to 6 centimeters (1⅜ to 2⅜ inches) long. Although commonly called a nut, it is actually a drupe. The outer covering is a thick, leathery, gray-green hull rather than the fleshy fruit found in related species such as plums and cherries. Inside the hull is a hard, woody shell with a textured surface that encloses the edible seed. Most fruits contain a single seed, although some contain two.
When the fruit ripens, the hull splits open and separates from the shell. A natural separation layer forms between the fruit and the stem, allowing the fruit to fall from the tree. In commercial orchards, mechanical tree shakers are commonly used during harvest to dislodge the fruit for collection from the ground.
Almond Cultivation
Almond trees usually begin producing a commercial crop in their third year after planting and reach full production after 5 to 6 years. The fruit matures in autumn, about 7 to 8 months after flowering. [Source: Wikipedia]
Almond trees are naturally small to medium-sized, but commercial varieties are often grafted onto rootstocks that control tree size and improve growing characteristics. Popular cultivars include Nonpareil, a large tree that produces large, thin-shelled almonds with a high proportion of edible kernel but requires cross-pollination; Tuono, an Italian variety with a thicker shell that offers greater protection against pests and is self-pollinating; and Mariana, which is commonly used as a rootstock to produce smaller trees. Breeding programs have also developed varieties with improved shell sealing to reduce insect damage and mold contamination.
Most commercially grown almond varieties are self-incompatible and require pollen from a different almond variety to produce nuts. As a result, orchards are planted with mixtures of compatible cultivars, and insects, especially honey bees, transfer pollen between flowers.
Commercial almond production depends heavily on managed honey bee pollination. In California, more than 1 million beehives are moved into almond orchards each February, making it the world's largest annual managed pollination event. Many of these hives are supplied by migratory beekeepers from across the United States through pollination brokers.
The decline of honey bee populations associated with colony collapse disorder increased pollination costs and created concerns about pollinator availability. In response, researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture have developed self-pollinating almond varieties that combine self-fertility with desirable traits such as good flavor and high yields.
Almond trees are susceptible to a range of diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. Effective orchard management is important to reduce disease outbreaks and maintain healthy trees. Several insect and mite species also damage almond crops. Seed predators include pavement ants, southern fire ants, and thief ants. The brown mite Bryobia rubrioculus is another important pest and can cause significant damage to almond trees.
Almond Producing Countries
World’s Top Producers of Almonds, with Shell (2020): 1) United States: 2370021 tonnes; 2) Spain: 416950 tonnes; 3) Australia: 221886 tonnes; 4) Iran: 164348 tonnes; 5) Turkey: 159187 tonnes; 6) Morocco: 134436 tonnes; 7) Syria: 123017 tonnes; 8) Italy: 80520 tonnes; 9) Tunisia: 62000 tonnes; 10) Algeria: 60832 tonnes; 11) China: 45000 tonnes; 12) Chile: 41174 tonnes; 13) Afghanistan: 39307 tonnes; 14) Libya: 34688 tonnes; 15) Portugal: 31610 tonnes; 16) Uzbekistan: 31202 tonnes; 17) Lebanon: 29415 tonnes; 18) Greece: 28240 tonnes; 19) Pakistan: 19533 tonnes; 20) Yemen: 11477 tonnes. [Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization (U.N.), fao.org. A tonne (or metric ton) is a metric unit of mass equivalent to 1,000 kilograms (kgs) or 2,204.6 pounds (lbs). A ton is an imperial unit of mass equivalent to 1,016.047 kilograms or 2,240 lbs.]
World’s Top Producers (in terms of value) of Almonds, with Shell (2019): 1) United States: Int.$9792826,000 ; 2) Spain: Int.$1721192,000 ; 3) Iran: Int.$895003,000 ; 4) Turkey: Int.$758413,000 ; 5) Australia: Int.$740261,000 ; 6) Morocco: Int.$516656,000 ; 7) Syria: Int.$405791,000 ; 8) Tunisia: Int.$404487,000 ; 9) Italy: Int.$390835,000 ; 10) Algeria: Int.$366121,000 ; 11) China: Int.$227524,000 ; 12) Chile: Int.$196934,000 ; 13) Libya: Int.$194260,000 ; 14) Afghanistan: Int.$193168,000 ; 15) Portugal: Int.$169632,000 ; 16) Lebanon: Int.$156167,000 ; 17) Greece: Int.$110981,000 ; 18) Uzbekistan: Int.$108256,000 ; 19) Pakistan: Int.$101091,000 [An international dollar (Int.$) buys a comparable amount of goods in the cited country that a U.S. dollar would buy in the United States.]
Almond Exporting Countries
World’s Top Exporters of Almonds, without Shell (2020): 1) United States: 629228 tonnes; 2) Spain: 94952 tonnes; 3) Australia: 52030 tonnes; 4) United Arab Emirates: 35281 tonnes; 5) Netherlands: 23118 tonnes; 6) Germany: 17505 tonnes; 7) Italy: 14991 tonnes; 8) Turkey: 13416 tonnes; 9) Belgium: 10659 tonnes; 10) Hong Kong: 6473 tonnes; 11) Chile: 6457 tonnes; 12) Iran: 5346 tonnes; 13) Afghanistan: 4123 tonnes; 14) Vietnam: 2624 tonnes; 15) United Kingdom: 2212 tonnes; 16) Greece: 1911 tonnes; 17) France: 1797 tonnes; 18) Sweden: 1316 tonnes; 19) Singapore: 1136 tonnes; 20) Portugal: 1101 tonnes [Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization (U.N.), fao.org]
World’s Top Exporters (in value terms) of Almonds, without Shell (2020): 1) United States: US$3427350,000; 2) Spain: US$674030,000; 3) Australia: US$263405,000; 4) United Arab Emirates: US$200282,000; 5) Netherlands: US$160541,000; 6) Germany: US$147312,000; 7) Italy: US$133003,000; 8) Turkey: US$104373,000; 9) Belgium: US$54493,000; 10) Chile: US$42790,000; 11) Hong Kong: US$33999,000; 12) Afghanistan: US$24419,000; 13) Vietnam: US$17398,000; 14) United Kingdom: US$14764,000; 15) Iran: US$14029,000; 16) France: US$13843,000; 17) Austria: US$13782,000; 18) Greece: US$11210,000; 19) Sweden: US$10513,000; 20) Portugal: US$7815,000
World’s Top Exporters of Almonds, with Shell (2020): 1) United States: 295566 tonnes; 2) Australia: 31153 tonnes; 3) Portugal: 16570 tonnes; 4) Mexico: 11111 tonnes; 5) United Arab Emirates: 8564 tonnes; 6) Hong Kong: 8052 tonnes; 7) Spain: 6771 tonnes; 8) Afghanistan: 2546 tonnes; 9) Albania: 661 tonnes; 10) Uzbekistan: 571 tonnes; 11) Lebanon: 506 tonnes; 12) Turkey: 379 tonnes; 13) Italy: 312 tonnes; 14) Mozambique: 261 tonnes; 15) Iran: 232 tonnes; 16) Germany: 201 tonnes; 17) Thailand: 194 tonnes; 18) Tunisia: 180 tonnes; 19) Belgium: 143 tonnes; 20) Myanmar: 138 tonnes
World’s Top Exporters (in value terms) of Almonds, with Shell (2020): 1) United States: US$1086432,000; 2) Australia: US$108708,000; 3) United Arab Emirates: US$34677,000; 4) Mexico: US$32539,000; 5) Spain: US$30800,000; 6) Portugal: US$29481,000; 7) Hong Kong: US$26485,000; 8) Afghanistan: US$6830,000; 9) Uzbekistan: US$2829,000; 10) Italy: US$1555,000; 11) Turkey: US$1395,000; 12) Germany: US$1339,000; 13) Belgium: US$1233,000; 14) Mozambique: US$1188,000; 15) Netherlands: US$977,000; 16) Albania: US$829,000; 17) Thailand: US$606,000; 18) India: US$564,000; 19) China: US$526,000; 20) Lebanon: US$514,000
Almond Importing Countries
World’s Top Importers of Almonds, without Shell (2020): 1) Germany: 106596 tonnes; 2) Spain: 99488 tonnes; 3) Italy: 58455 tonnes; 4) United Arab Emirates: 43727 tonnes; 5) Netherlands: 42785 tonnes; 6) France: 41840 tonnes; 7) Japan: 38685 tonnes; 8) China: 33222 tonnes; 9) Canada: 29108 tonnes; 10) Turkey: 28221 tonnes; 11) South Korea: 27123 tonnes; 12) United Kingdom: 24721 tonnes; 13) Morocco: 16347 tonnes; 14) Belgium: 13824 tonnes; 15) Iran: 13637 tonnes; 16) Kazakhstan: 11653 tonnes; 17) Switzerland: 10705 tonnes; 18) Mexico: 10640 tonnes; 19) Vietnam: 10087 tonnes; 20) Denmark: 9524 tonnes [Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization (U.N.), fao.org]
World’s Top Importers (in value terms) of Almonds, without Shell (2020): 1) Germany: US$704756,000; 2) Spain: US$552553,000; 3) Italy: US$330384,000; 4) France: US$315245,000; 5) Netherlands: US$262015,000; 6) Japan: US$259726,000; 7) United Arab Emirates: US$241644,000; 8) Canada: US$190143,000; 9) China: US$170141,000; 10) South Korea: US$166724,000; 11) United Kingdom: US$162463,000; 12) Turkey: US$133272,000; 13) Belgium: US$91503,000; 14) Iran: US$89666,000; 15) Morocco: US$89530,000; 16) Switzerland: US$81813,000; 17) Vietnam: US$75453,000; 18) Iraq: US$64784,000; 19) Mexico: US$64603,000; 20) Denmark: US$61571,000
World’s Top Importers of Almonds, with Shell (2020): 1) India: 218120 tonnes; 2) China: 45917 tonnes; 3) Spain: 12586 tonnes; 4) Turkey: 10894 tonnes; 5) Hong Kong: 10185 tonnes; 6) United Arab Emirates: 8871 tonnes; 7) Saudi Arabia: 6448 tonnes; 8) Pakistan: 5611 tonnes; 9) Mexico: 5555 tonnes; 10) Iran: 3863 tonnes; 11) Ukraine: 2241 tonnes; 12) Italy: 1877 tonnes; 13) Afghanistan: 1780 tonnes; 14) Vietnam: 1643 tonnes; 15) Canada: 1159 tonnes; 16) Germany: 1149 tonnes; 17) France: 994 tonnes; 18) Kazakhstan: 900 tonnes; 19) Israel: 741 tonnes; 20) Denmark: 720 tonnes
World’s Top Importers (in value terms) of Almonds, with Shell (2020): 1) India: US$874854,000; 2) China: US$158216,000; 3) Turkey: US$39240,000; 4) Saudi Arabia: US$38368,000; 5) Hong Kong: US$33964,000; 6) United Arab Emirates: US$32015,000; 7) Mexico: US$29778,000; 8) Spain: US$27090,000; 9) Iran: US$17557,000; 10) Ukraine: US$12571,000; 11) Vietnam: US$10027,000; 12) Pakistan: US$9433,000; 13) Germany: US$9385,000; 14) Italy: US$8994,000; 15) Afghanistan: US$7526,000; 16) France: US$7506,000; 17) Canada: US$5973,000; 18) Denmark: US$5843,000; 19) United States: US$3295,000; 20) Israel: US$3219,000
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons
Text Sources: Food and Agriculture Organization, Wikipedia., New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Time, Reuters, Associated Press, Lonely Planet Guides, and various books and other publications.
Last updated July 2026