Nov 12, 2025Almonds drive $2.6 billion in central California farm value
Almonds remain one of Central California’s leading crops, ranking second in overall value in 2024 and contributing significantly to the region’s $9 billion farm economy, according to The Business Journal’s annual list of top agricultural commodities.
The list combines totals from Fresno, Kings, Madera and Tulare counties, and draws from data in each county’s annual crop report.
Almonds were valued at $2.6 billion across 587,503 harvested acres, up from $2.08 billion and 606,831 acres in 2023. The crop trails only milk, which held the top spot with a $3.9 billion value and more than 161 million units, each representing 100 pounds of milk.
Calves and cattle ranked third at $2.2 billion with 1.1 million head, compared with $1.45 billion and nearly 1.4 million head the previous year. Pistachios climbed to fourth place, generating more than $1.7 billion from 387,081 acres, while table grapes fell to fifth with $1.4 billion and 52,810 acres.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors also received Agricultural Commissioner Melissa Cregan’s 2024 crop and livestock report, detailing acreage, production and gross farm receipts.
According to the report, Fresno County remains the nation’s top-producing agricultural county, with farms generating a record $9.03 billion in production value in 2024 — an increase of nearly 6% from the prior year. Kern County, which previously held the top spot in 2023, saw its total value decline by 8%.
Fresno County’s farming sector contributed $2.66 billion to the local economy in 2023, directly supporting 63,103 jobs and nearly 45,000 more through multiplier effects. That accounts for roughly 108,000 jobs overall, or one in nine positions in the county.
The 2024 rankings underscore the strength of tree nuts and livestock in the Central Valley’s agricultural portfolio, even amid fluctuating acreage and production volumes.
