Drought, lower crop prices drop Fresno County’s farm gate values.
Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner Les Wright says his county’s agricultural values have continued to decline over the past few years due in part to poor water availability and reduced commodity prices.
These producers also had 10 percent fewer acres of land in 2016 for the production of food and fiber compared to 2012.
That category saw a 231-percent boost in value on 20 percent fewer acres of production.
This is the fourth consecutive year almonds have been a billion-dollar crop for Fresno County farmers.
According to Wright, 68 commodities are produced in the county with a gross value beyond $1 million.
Almond prices to the grower were down about 26 percent on the year.
Though total grape plantings continue to slip from their highs of a few years ago, growers harvested wine grapes from 25 percent more acres and table grapes from 68 percent more acres in 2016 as raisin grape acreage was down 33 percent on the year.
Processing tomato production was down 11 percent to just over 5 million tons from 7 percent fewer acres than the previous year.
Grower prices were $10 per ton less in 2016.