Pecan Crop Estimates Better Than Last Year

Date:  Sept. 4, 1997
Editor: D'Lyn Ford  (505) 646-6528, dlford@nmsu.edu

LAS CRUCES -- New Mexico growers are expecting to harvest about 40 million pounds of pecans this year, said a New Mexico State University horticulture specialist.

"It's going to be a good year not only because we have a good, quality crop, but we don't have an excessive crop," said Esteban Herrera with NMSU's Cooperative Extension Service. "An excessive crop can affect quality."

Last year, New Mexico produced about 22 million pounds of pecans, he said. A record crop of 45 million pounds was harvested in 1995.

"Pecan trees fill out their nuts during six weeks from late August to early October," Herrera said. "Therefore, pecan trees have less time to store carbohydrates for the next year's crop like other trees such as apples. In this way, the record crop of 1995 caused a decreased yield in 1996."

When pecans in storage are added to the 282 million pounds expected to be harvested nationwide in 1997, approximately 360 million pounds of pecans should be available across the country by the end of Sept., he said.

Mexico's pecan production is projected to be about average this year. Approximately 45 million pounds will come from across the border, Herrera said. However, this will depend upon prices during harvest. Fewer pecans came from Mexico last year than in past years, because pecan prices were better in Mexico.

Herrera said with fewer pecans in cold storage, prices should be higher than last year, especially for growers who harvest early in the season.