Pecan Prices Rise; Good News For Local Producers

November 14, 2011

Money really does grow on trees — thanks to a drought and an increasing demand from China, pecan prices are soaring this year.

That’s good news for producers, from pecan farmers all the way down to local residents with a tree or two in their yards. Drive around North Escambia much on a sunny afternoon and you’ll see local folks out picking up pecans and looking to cash in on the high prices. Area pecan houses are paying about $1 per pound to locals selling their “seedling” pecans — whether from a grocery sack with a few pounds up to hundreds of pounds at a time. The more in-demand varieties of pecans are Stuarts or Elliots and are worth even more.

The higher prices are bad news for consumers, with the price of that Thanksgiving pecan pie very much on the rise. The average retail price of whole pecans halves is expected to reach as much as $11 per pound this year, according to analysts.  That’s up about $4 in three years.

China typically buys about one-fifth of the U.S. pecan crop. The United States is expected to produce about 252 million pounds this year, down 14 percent, according to the USDA.

Pictured top: Pecans harvested Sunday in Walnut Hill. Pictured inset: A rolling pecan harvester — small plastic “fingers” pick up the nuts which are deposited into a basket. Pictured below: Typical seedling pecans. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

16 Responses to “Pecan Prices Rise; Good News For Local Producers”

  1. 429SCJ on November 17th, 2011 2:33 am

    That pecan gathering machine looks pretty efficient. I wonder if it is patented? It does not appear that it would be too difficult to reproduce, if you had one to use as a template. I bet some Chinese Mfgr has ordered one and a work shift is a cranking them out at this moment. I am sure the Chinese could undercut that $400.00 by a wide margin. I have only three trees so I get by with my jabber stick model. I wonder wher it is made?

  2. 429SCJ on November 16th, 2011 4:08 am

    David who can argue with a man, with your military background. Lets just enjoy the pie, and wait.

  3. David Huie Green on November 15th, 2011 4:57 pm

    REGARDING:
    “The Chinese are grooming a military juggernaut that is right out of revelations,”

    Sometimes the Soviet Union is grooming a military juggernaut right out of the book of The Revelation, sometimes it’s the Chinese. The words never change but the interpretations do. On the good side, the USA isn’t mentioned at all in the Bible, so we’re safe — until somebody does some creative interpretation.

    When everybody has enough weaponry to kill everybody, why does anybody worry about invasion?

    David for pecan sales,
    Armageddon can wait

  4. 429SCJ on November 15th, 2011 3:12 am

    Amen Baenae. The Chinese are grooming a military juggernaut that is right out of revelations, and they are fundind it through trade on international markets. I guess the kings of the east will be eating pecan pie on their way to that place, to defeate those that denounce Christ.

  5. farm hill girl on November 15th, 2011 1:24 am

    Renfroes will buy them. Two weeks ago I got 1.20 a pound for seedlings. You can get even more for the big ones. The price usually gradually falls as the crop comes in so you sell as you pick up and don’t wait to do it all at once.

  6. Baebae on November 14th, 2011 9:41 pm

    China is buying everthing else as far as our resources…they buy things…and sell them back to us at a higher price…we dont get our money back…they get more of ours in the end..Chinese….it will be our language one day

  7. Pecan Mouth on November 14th, 2011 8:57 pm

    anyone know of a place in pensacola or near that buys them?

  8. William on November 14th, 2011 5:29 pm

    >>I would like to know who made the tool in the picture to pick up the pecans. It looks like it is homemade.

    It’s not homemade. They sell for about $400 new.

  9. Cindy on November 14th, 2011 4:54 pm

    I would like to know who made the tool in the picture to pick up the pecans. It looks like it is homemade.

  10. letsgohunting on November 14th, 2011 2:52 pm

    I have been taking my pecans here in Atmore beside Deans grill. They are paying 1.40 a lb for the big ones. I was geting 1.60, but they went down to 1.40. I have two very old tress, very large at that, in my yard. My husband has had to take a pvc pipe to try and get the ones out of the top. Knock them down. And they are bigger and prettier than the tons we have already picked up. I am keeping the rest tho to put in the freezer. We did pretty well selling them.

  11. Char on November 14th, 2011 8:45 am

    Well glad they are buying something from us sorry it’s too little too late.
    To many people still out of work. Those are pretty pecans and their
    very very good for you, they contain lots of essential oils. Almonds are
    better, but pecans are good too.

  12. LuLu on November 14th, 2011 8:41 am

    China’s probably gonna sell ‘em back to us after they make candy or something out of ‘em.

  13. momma on November 14th, 2011 7:13 am

    Those are pretty pecans. Which I had a sack of them.

  14. resident on November 14th, 2011 7:11 am

    I’m loving it. A few fun hours in the yard with kids yesterday and we made $250. Sure beats the .25 to .35 a few years ago! I’m glad to see the Chinese eating good southern food. I think we should get em hooked on collards and soy sauce.

  15. 429SCJ on November 14th, 2011 7:07 am

    I don’t know who sent those Chinese people a pecan pie, it was a bad mistake. They are burning up all our gasoline, now they are eating up all our pecans. I hope Mr Truman is happy.

  16. David Huie Green on November 14th, 2011 5:32 am

    Notice that if you produce and sell what China wants, you get your dollars back from them.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News