It’s harvest time in California, and growers are in the middle of a big transition. Nut harvests are accelerating. Vegetable fields are under pressure. Wine grapes are being picked at a rapid rate. And across the state, everyone’s looking toward the upcoming cycle of cooler-weather crops.
Here’s a region-by-region look at what’s coming out of California’s fields in late September.
Central Valley
This year’s almond harvest started earlier than usual, thanks to a warm spring and summer. Early varieties like Nonpareil are mostly finished, with later-maturing varieties — including Monterey, Fritz, Carmel, and Butte — currently coming off the trees. Yields are variable and highly dependent on location. For example, westside orchards are reporting stronger results, while parts of the northern Central Valley are down 15 to 20% from last year. Kernel sizes are also running smaller than expected.
San Joaquin Valley
The pistachio harvest is shaping up to be a small crop. Experts say production could be at least 50% below 2025, due to springtime heatwaves and poor pollination. The walnut harvest is also underway, with early varieties coming of the trees now.
Salinas Valley
Like their friends in the pistachio orchards, lettuce growers in the Salinas Valley are facing a tough harvest, too. Thrip activity has caused many cases of INSV, resulting in a large amount of crop being lost before it reaches the packing shed. Romaine supplies look encouraging, but iceberg supplies have been limited.
North Coast
The wine-grape harvest is in full swing. Yields are light, sales are down, and approximately 25% of the state’s vineyard acreage is currently out of production. More than 80% of the harvest is expected to be picked as September wraps up — a pace that’s unusually quick for this crop.
Imperial Valley
Summer production has largely wrapped, meaning growers are now shifting their focus to the winter vegetable cycle. Cool-season crops like broccoli, carrots, and spinach — three of the county’s biggest exports — are going into the ground, setting up Imperial’s fields for the fall and winter harvests on the horizon.
If you’ve been dealing with a challenging harvest, give Fruit Growers Supply a call today. We have the tools, expertise, and irrigation systems to help you prepare for better seasons ahead!