SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — California is a well-known leader in agriculture, but did you know there are certain crops almost exclusively grown in the state?
A report from the California Department of Food and Agriculture shows that California farmers are the “sole producer” of over a dozen commodities within the U.S. Some of them, such as almonds, might not come as a shock.
Others, like garlic and figs, might take more people by surprise.
Artichokes are exclusively grown in California. 
Plums are another crop California is the sole producer of.
According to the CDFA, California produces 99% or more of the supply of these crops.
- Almonds
- Artichokes
- Celery
- Figs
- Garlic
- Grapes, Raisins
- Kiwifruit
- Melons, Honeydew
- Nectarines
- Olives
- Peaches, Clingstone
- Pistachios
- Plums
- Plums, Dried
- Rice, Sweet
- Seed, Ladino Clover
- Walnuts
California is the “sole producer” of those commodities, but the state leads the nation in many more categories – well over 50.
When it comes to exports, several of the commodities California almost exclusively grows are especially valuable. Almonds were ranked at the very top in 2020. The category pulled in more than double the money as the next commodity, dairy and products.
Pistachios ranked third on the list, followed by walnuts, wine and rice.
Almonds, pistachios and walnuts were were the leading export to California’s top agricultural export market in 2020: the European Union. Those same three exports were also the leading products in the United Arab Emirates, which is California’s seventh top export market.
Almonds are grown in various parts of California, but Fresno County leads in its production, growing 18.1% of the state’s total in 2020. Kern County grew the second-most with 16.7% of the state’s total.
Kern County, however, grows more pistachios. It grew 35.7% of the state’s pistachios, and Fresno County grew 26.8%.