May 26, 2026 - California production of almonds, peaches and winter wheat is expected to drop while production of durum 
wheat is projected to rise in 2026, according to a crop forecast released last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Kingsburg Cling credit: Burchell Nursery
The department estimated the 2026 almond crop will come in at 2.7 billion pounds, down from 2.715 billion pounds in 2025, a drop of about 1%.
Forecasted yield is 1,940 pounds per acre, unchanged from last year.
California’s bearing almond acreage fell 0.7% to 1.39 million acres this year compared to 1.4 million acres in 2025.
Total peach production is projected to fall nearly 10% this year to 480,000 tons, a dip from 532,000 tons last year.
California produced 320,000 tons of freestone peaches in 2025, with 2026 production estimated at 310,000 tons.
This year’s cling peach crop is projected to come in at 170,000 tons, dropping from last year’s 212,000 tons.
On wheat production, California is expected to harvest the same number of acres of winter wheat as last year—110,000—but production is projected to be lower this year.
The state is expected to produce 7.15 million bushels of winter wheat in 2026 compared to 9.46 million bushels in 2025. USDA estimated a yield of 65,000 bushels per acre this year, sliding from 86,000 bushes per acre last year.
But California is expected to harvest more durum wheat this year from 15,000 acres, up from 14,000 acres in 2025. Durum wheat production is estimated at 1.89 million bushels in 2026 compared to 1.75 million bushels last year. The estimated yield is 126 bushels per acre this year, increasing from 125 bushels per acre in 2025.
Hay stocks on California farms have grown, USDA reported. There were 350,000 tons on May 1 compared to 340,000 tons the same time last year. Stocks stood at 1.6 million tons in December compared to 1.4 million tons in December 2024.
USDA also reported 2025 production numbers for other tree crops. California produced 40,600 tons of kiwifruit, or 36,830 metric tons. Production of nectarines came in at 147,000 tons, or 133,360 metric tons. Olive production was 144,000 tons, or 130,630 metric tons. The state produced 84,500 tons, or 76,660 metric tons, of plums. Production of prunes was 220,500 tons, or 200,030 metric tons. California harvested 1.58 billion pounds, or 716,680 metric tons, of pistachios. The 2025 walnut crop was 809,000 tons, or 733,910 metric tons.
Total state cotton acreage tumbled last year from 2024 levels, but yields were up. California farmers planted a total of 110,000 acres of cotton in 2025 compared to 167,000 acres in 2024. The state’s harvested cotton acreage totaled 108,900 acres in 2025, down from 163,700 acres in 2024. Yields came in at 1,767 pounds per acre last year compared to 1,293 pounds the prior year.
California farmers planted 92,000 acres of pima cotton in 2025, falling from 145,000 acres in 2024. They harvested 91,000 acres last year compared to 142,000 acres the year before. Yields on pima came in at 1,683 pounds per acre in 2025, rising from 1,237 pounds in 2024.
California produced 319,000 480-pound bales of pima in 2025, down from 366,000 bales in 2024. The state ginned 318,450 480-pound bales of pima last year compared to 364,900 bales the previous year.
For upland cotton, the state planted 18,000 acres in 2025, slipping from 22,000 acres in 2024. California harvested 17,900 acres of upland last year compared to 21,7000 acres in 2024. Upland yield was 2,199 pounds per acre in 2025, an increase from 1,659 pounds in 2024.
The Golden State produced 82,000 480-pound bales of upland cotton last year, up from 75,000 bales in 2024. California ginned 95,000 bales in 2025 compared to 89,000 bales the year before.
Cotton seed production in the state last year totaled 141,000 tons, down from 157,000 tons in 2024.
Some 41,000 tons of the state’s cotton seed was sold to oil mills in 2025 compared to 61,000 tons sold for oil in 2024.
Another 100,000 tons of California cotton seed were sold for other uses. That’s compared to 96,000 tons in 2024.
California sold 800 tons of cotton seed for planting last year, down from 900 tons for the same use in 2024.
California Farm Bureau works to protect family farms and ranches as part of a nationwide network representing more than 5 million Farm Bureau members. Learn more at www.cfbf.com or follow @cafarmbureau on Instagram, LinkedIn, X, or Facebook.
Source: California Farm Bureau