California continues to lead the United States in tree nut production, accounting for nearly all of the country's output of almonds, pistachios, and walnuts. Among these, pistachio acreage has seen the most rapid growth, increasing nearly fivefold over the past two decades. In 2021, pistachios surpassed walnuts to become the second-largest tree nut crop in terms of bearing acreage—land with trees mature enough to produce a harvestable crop.
As of 2024, almonds dominate California's tree nut landscape, with 1.38 million bearing acres, representing 62% of the total tree nut acreage. Pistachios follow with 488,000 acres (22%), a 25,000-acre increase from 2023. Walnuts account for 16% of tree nut acreage, with 370,000 acres—a 4% decline from 385,000 acres in 2023. This marks the first time since 1951 that walnut acreage has declined in two consecutive years.
Although the 2024 pistachio crop is projected to be 26% smaller than the record-setting 2023 crop, this reduction aligns with the species' natural alternate bearing cycle—a pattern of alternating high- and low-yield years. Despite this off year, the 2024 crop is still expected to be the third-largest on record, behind 2023 and 2021.
The United States, driven by California's production, has held the title of the world's leading pistachio producer for nine consecutive years as of 2024, solidifying the state's central role in global tree nut markets.
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