<p>Almonds are now Australia's largest horticultural export crop.</p> <p>This year's harvest is estimated at 70,000 tons, which will see Australia overtake Spain as the world's second largest almond producer.</p> <p>The industry, growing as it is, should reach over 90,000 tonnes by 2017. Global demand for almonds has doubled in the past ten years.</p> <p>Ross Skinner, chief executive of the Almond Board of Australia, says if consumption continues to rise at its current rate of 5 per cent annually, global demand will outstrip supply beyond 2014.</p> <p>The vast almond groves along the Murray River, between Lake Cullulleraine and Boundary Bend, south-east of Robinvale, account for 66 per cent of Australia’s production.</p> <p>The Sunraysia-pumped districts have around 200ha of almonds in relatively small orchards in Red Cliffs and Merbein, so almond growing is not yet a major industry in the local area.</p> <p>The almond industry’s increasing profitability, and its requirement for water to expand its plantings, makes the Sunraysia irrigation area a prospective growth area for the industry.</p> <p>Mr Skinner says India is Australia’s largest market for almonds, and its fastest growing. India usually purchases the almonds in their shells.</p> <p>The increasing dominance of large agribusinesses in horticulture suggests any further expansion will be at the expense of moribund horticultural industries and small family businesses.</p> <p> </p>