The numbers are in, and our almonds are booming. Recent data shows that Australia produced a record $1.3 billion in almonds, with prices rising thanks to surging demand from China.

While production tonnage was down by 5%, Hort Innovation's Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook for 2024/25 shows that the crop value has increased 20% year-on-year.

Australian Almond Board chief executive Tim Jackson said growers were getting their best returns in a decade.

"It's been a perfect storm for Australian almonds," he said.

"We've had a low exchange rate, but also trade agreements with China and India has seen demand for almonds go through the roof, and growers have been able to extract a premium."

Hort Innovation's data shows almond exports to China surged from 33,373 to 76,132 tonnes – an increase of almost 130%. Mr Jackson said China was consuming Australian almonds "in every which way you can think".

"Value-added [almond] milk, snacking, processing, it's such a diverse market," he said.

"And the fact we can land them there with zero tariff, compared to the 50 per cent tariff that Californian almonds [are taxed], means we've got more and more Chinese buyers trying to source Australian almonds."

"China is currently 61 per cent of total exports, which is getting into territory that is concerning," he said.

"But given we've come out of some of the lowest prices and returns in recent history, you can't blame growers for pushing more almonds into China, where there's a premium and such strong demand."

Australia is forecast to harvest a record almond crop this year of 167,000 tonnes, despite rain delay.

Sources: ABC, Hort Innovations Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2024/25