<p></p><p>Harvest is here for the Northern California almond crop, with nuts being jostled from trees and hauled away to nearby hulling facilities.A few growers began harvest the first week of August, with more nuts moving out last week, said Butte County Agricultural Commissioner Louie Mendoza. <br></p> <p>Crews were hard at work Monday in the Durham area, where the ground was literally shaking near where harvest machines had a firm grasp on tree trunks. More than one hot spell this summer moved the crop along quickly. Mendoza said, up to a week earlier in some areas.The nonpareil variety is the most desirable variety of almond and fetches the highest prices. It’s also the most often to be planted.However, nonpareil trees need other types of trees in order for pollination to occur. That’s why farmers will plant one row of nonpareil, and an alternating row of another variety. <br></p><p>Often growers will choose trees that bloom at slightly different times, to ensure that if bad weather arrives during bloom, all of the crop is not lost or damaged.Each year the state Department of Food and Agriculture makes estimates for the almost harvest. An increase of 7.9 percent was expected this year vs. last year, for a total of 2.05 billion pounds (not including shells). <br></p> <p>With all that good news about a bumper crop, farmers are expecting dramatically lower prices per pound compared to last year.Rocque Merlo, of Merlo Farming Group, said current prices for nonpareil nuts is around $2.76 to $2.80 a pound. The high last year was $4.80 to $4.95 a pound.There are many reasons for the price drop, including that China has “left the market,” and had been a significant buyer of California nuts. Instability in the almond market in India has impacted buying and the West Coast port strikes last year certainly did not help, Merlo said. <br></p> <p>Now that almond prices have dropped there may be more volume in almond exports, he said. A similar drop has occurred in prices paid to walnut farmers. Chandlers and Howard are the most sought-after walnuts, and currently selling for $1 to 90 cents a pound. Merlo said marketers are currently waiting to make walnut purchases until there is more news on the 2016 walnut crop. <br></p> <p>He said he isn’t certain whether the 2016 nut crop will reach the estimates made by state ag officials.Very hot weather causes trees to shut down and halt cell production, which can cause smaller nuts. Merlo said he’s seeing trees that look like they have a heavy crop, but the nuts inside the shell are smaller than a grower might expect. <br></p> <p>Not only does this mean fewer tons to sell, but walnuts, for example, fetch a higher price when they are large. Growers in California produce about 80 percent of the almonds grown in the world, the California Department of Food and Agriculture reports. In 2014, the almond crop in Butte County totaled $241 million and $190 million in Glenn County. Those figures will be cut in half this year with the drop in prices paid to farmers. <br></p> <p>Consumers and merchandisers are very sensitive to price. Some large retailers, including some in Butte County, have made major purchases of almonds from Australia, Merlo noted. Consumers can check the packages and find out the country of origin for almonds.<br></p><p></p>