Overall, 8 out of 10 of the county’s top commodities showed an increase. Wine grapes remain the county’s top commodity but both the yield and price per ton decreased, resulting in a decrease in value of 7.6 percent, or $14 million.
Milk, poultry, pears, nursery stock, aquaculture, hay and corn all showed increases. Besides wine grapes, cattle and calves dropped slightly in value.
For the first time, cherries made the list of top 10 commodities, doubling their overall value from 2016 to 2017. The increase is notable, said Jensen, because cherry yields are weather-dependent. Fortunately, the timing of the rains in 2017 did not harm cherry production.
Almonds continue to be the biggest certified export crop, although the majority are grown in surrounding counties. Almost 132 million pounds are sold to 70 countries around the world. The remaining top export crops are walnuts, pecans, yams and pears.
The report notes that 2017 was a year of above average rainfall following five years of drought, resulting in significant recharge of aquifers. "This bodes well for agriculture going forward," said Jensen.
Top 10 Commodities in Sacramento County - 2017
- Wine Grapes
- Milk
- Poultry
- Pears
- Nursery stock
- Cattles & Calves
- Aquaculture (fish, crustaceans, mollusks and aquatic plants)
- Hay (alfalfa)
- Field Corn (corn grown to feed livestock)
- Cherries
