Pistachio file photo

Madera County is reporting an overall loss in ag income for 2020.

Madera County is ranked No. 10 in California with ag production last year valued at $1.95 billion, a decrease of $52.03 million — 2.6% — year over year.

Ag Commissioner Rusty Landsberger attributes the loss to Covid-19 conditions, ongoing drought, water deliveries, labor shortages, export markets and decreased commodity values. Ag values also dropped in 2019 from 2018, largely attributed to a stabilization in prices.

Almonds and milk retained their No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, while pistachios booted grape products to take the No. 3 position. Figs moved to No. 7 after not being in the top ten in 2019.

Bearing-acreage for almonds increased to 157,000 harvested acres from 149,000 acres in 2019. Production per acre also increased to 1.21 tons from 1.12. Overall, however, prices per ton fell to $3,482 from $4,821. Total almond value dropped to $661.48 million from $804.53 million.

In 2020, shipping disruptions upended export markets, negatively impacting Madera County’s nut crop.

Across the board, grape acreage decreased in 2020 from 2019. A slight increase in values for table grapes was not enough to counteract a 500-acre decrease. Combined with a decrease in productivity, the value of table grapes declined to $32.49 million from $44.26 million. The most popular raisin variety nearly halved — dropping to $44.62 million from $80.34 million in 2019. In total, grapes dropped to $221.03 million from $267.76 million.

Pistachio acreage increased significantly — to 47,600 acres from 41,800 — grossing a $90 million increase year-over-year. Pistachios were valued at $285.41 million from $191.67 million in 2019.

In all, fruits and nuts declined to $1.34 billion from $1.42 billion in 2019.
After suffering an initial drop-off in values with restaurants and schools closing, milk grossed a $44.36 million increase in value to $317.87 million. Not only did production increase to 17,090,000 hundredweight from 16,780,000, price per hundredweight increased to $18.60 from $16.30 in 2019.

Those in the dairy industry attributed increases to a dairy-buying program from the federal government.