<p>One of Australia's largest almond processors has tipped almond plantings in the Riverina to more than double within the next five years.AlmondCo has built a $25 million shelling and hulling plant on the outskirts of Griffith, which will be officially opened this week.Managing director Brenton Woolston said there were already 1.8 million almond trees in the region.</p> <p>"From next to nothing less than 15 years ago, almonds in the New South Wales Riverina now represent 15 per cent of the national plantings and we expect that percentage to sharply increase in the future," he said.Lake Wyangan almond grower Dennis Dinicola said having a processing plant nearby would allow growers to save a significant amount of money on transport costs."We were travelling seven hours in a truck to get to Renmark and now that's gone," he said. "We'll save in excess of $100,000 a year."</p>