By Clint Thompson
Alabama pecan growers have nearly concluded harvesting this year’s crop. The theme for this season mirrors that in neighboring Georgia, high production with low market prices.
Bryan Wilkins, Auburn University research associate, explains this year’s pecan season.
“As far as I know everybody is done. They’re picking up their last ones. It was a pretty good year. Prices weren’t worth a flip,” Wilkins said. “Prices were horrible. Everybody had a good crop, but they just didn’t make anything (money). I’ve heard it the same way over in Georgia really.
“Last year was an off year on Elliotts and most everybody I talked to had a really good Elliott crop this year. This was an on year. I haven’t heard any final numbers from anybody on what our harvests ended up being, but as far as I know everybody had a good harvest. They’re just like everybody else, they didn’t get a whole lot for their crop.”
Hurricane Sally
Southwest Alabama’s pecan crop had been feeling the effects of Hurricane Sally in 2020. Hurricane Sally impacted the pecan crop substantially in Baldwin and Mobile counties when it moved through the area on Sept. 16. Trees were knocked over. Leaves were stripped off of those that did not tumble over. It created an alternate bearing cycle that was worse than normal.
However, Alabama pecan trees appear to be moving past the adverse effects of Sally, as evidenced by crops in recent years.
“2022 was probably the last year we were really affected by Sally. We got back in the groove last year in 2023. It just happened to be an ‘off’ year for Elliotts for most everybody,” Wilkins said. “This year was an ‘on’ year. The Elliott crop was real good, from everybody I talked to. They had good quality. We didn’t have a lot of scab problems this year. We got dry there in the last of August and into September and October. That hurt us on nut fill and shuck opening some, but nothing just terrible.”