WCN February 2020 Web

er 2018 to September 2019 was expected at 221.2 million
pounds, on a utilized in-shell basis, down 27 percent from
the previous year, on overall reduced bearing acreage and
lower yields, reported the USDA. In a USDA report for
California the in-shell value of pecans was $7.4 million at $2
per pound, with 3,500 harvested acres and a yield of 1,057
pounds per acre average in 2018.
According to the Pecan Report, pecan prices inched
upward as pecan supplies have dropped
just over 6 percent from 2018.
For years a large portion of the
country's domestic crop was exported,
much of it into the Asian market.
But the demand for exported pecans
was threatened with the onset of the
China-U.S. trade dispute.
“Bottom line is China’s absence has
definitely affected marketing domestically
and abroad. We are hopeful they
will return to buying soon. Until then
we continue to develop new relationships
and manage current customers
needs,” Powell said.
“But time will tell,” Vance added.
With China's commitment to
purchase some 50 billion worth of U.S.
farm goods comes the positive reference
that pecans will be among the
produce purchased.
Vance believes with the demand and
new federal marketing order in place,
prices should remain fairly steady in the
near future.
“The industry as a whole has a lot of
growth potential with the right promotion
and market strategies,” Vance said.
Pecan production is on the upswing
across the western states of New Mexico,
Arizona and California with increasing
acreage and development in processing facilities.
For those in the pecan industry, whether it is a good
year, a bad year or somewhere in between, Vance said it
best when he stated, “We do grow the tastiest and healthiest
nut on the market!”
Comments about this article? We want to hear from you.
Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com
February 2020
www.wcngg.com
71