U.S. farm officials announced that the California almonds crop which accounts for approximately 80% of the world’s supply is expected to be 1.85 billion pounds – down 8% from earlier predictions of 2 billion pounds. The announcement caused an increase in price of about .30 cents per pound. A sampling of nearly 900 trees statewide found that the average number of nuts per tree was down 5% and that the nuts were small – the lowest average kernel weight in 40 years. In addition this week’s heat wave could possibly cause the still-maturing nuts to fail to gain their full size potential.