The Australian almond industry is world leading in the efficient use of water, with a strong focus on investing in irrigation management technology and continuous improvement to maximise production and minimise environmental impacts.
Almonds are one of Australia’s most high value and efficient water usage agricultural crops, producing a high value revenue return per mega litre of water applied.
The almond industry has invested heavily in sophisticated irrigation systems, with 99% of orchards using drip irrigation and the majority of growers using technology that measures and controls water stress in almond trees to accurately match water application to the plants’ needs.
Australian almond producers are always looking for incremental improvements in water efficiency and irrigation methods, to maximise production and optimise the use of this valuable natural resource.
The Almond Board of Australia is working with other agricultural industry bodies, growers and irrigators to ensure our river systems are healthy and can sustainably support a prosperous and diverse irrigated agriculture sector and dependent communities.
Maintaining the rivers health is a major aim of Australian almond producers and we were the first industry to call for a moratorium on the States issuing water use licenses for new developments until it could be shown that additional flow volumes were deliverable without environmental impact.
The Almond Board of Australia supports the Murray Darling Basin Plan that governs the management of irrigation, urban and environmental water and is committed to funding research to pursue the Plan’s aims.