By Clint Thompson
One Alabama pecan industry leader is confident in this year’s crop, though it may not live up to last year’s total yields.
Bryan Wilkins, Auburn University research associate, attributes that to an expected decrease this year in Elliotts, a popular variety produced in the Southeast.
“We’re looking for a good year. It’s going to be a little bit lower than last year. For a lot of people, it’s an off year on Elliotts,” Wilkins said. “Other than that, everything looks good from what I’ve seen.”
Wilkins said the crop in Southwest Alabama appears to finally be moving past the extreme alternate bearing cycle that was a result of Hurricane Sally in 2020. It impacted the pecan crop substantially in Baldwin and Mobile counties when it moved through the area in September 2020. Trees tumbled over. Leaves were stripped off on trees that didn’t fall over.
“We’ve been out of that probably since last year. We’re back to normal,” Wilkins said. “This is an off year for Elliotts for a lot of my guys. It’s going to be a little bit down but not too bad.
“Everything else looks good. We got good size. Scab hasn’t been a problem. There hasn’t been a big problem with aphids this year. I think everything is looking good right now.”