By Clint Thompson Pecan quality and quantity is expected to take a hit during the upcoming season. The quantity is not a surprise following last year’s crop. The quality is a result of increased scab disease pressure following persistent rains this summer. “Our young trees is where most of the crop is going to come from this year,” Lenny Wells, …
Market Improvement: Pecan Prices Should Increase Amid Improved Demand
By Clint Thompson Good news may be on the horizon for pecan producers in Georgia and Alabama. Market prices may be improving in the near future. According to Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist, various factors are pointing to an increase in prices for farmers. “It’s looking like all the nuts we held in cold storage, that …
UGA Pecan Specialist: Apocalyptic Scab Weather We’re Having Right Now
By Clint Thompson An already challenging time in the pecan industry is being made tougher this summer with the persistent rains. While the trees need rain to produce a crop in the fall, too much rain can lead to scab disease. With as much rain as being reported across Alabama and Georgia, a scab outbreak is quickly spiraling out of …
Rain, Rain Go Away: Wet Summer Impacting Pecan Trees
By Clint Thompson A wet summer only got wetter this week for parts of Southeast Georgia in the path of Tropical Storm Elsa. While the steady rainfall in June and so far in July has replenished the moisture in the soil, it has had a negative impact on the state’s pecan trees. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny …
Starting Off: Pecan Variety Selection Essential to Long-Term Sustainability
By Clint Thompson Sustainable pecan production starts before the producer plants their tree. The right variety selection could lead to reduced chemical sprays for scab disease, which could save the producer time and money over the course of their pecan trees. Picking varieties like Zinner and Avalon could have positive ripple effects for growers trying to overcome high input costs. …
Irrigation Management Essential in Pecan Production
By Clint Thompson Many elements factor into a successful pecan production season. What were the weather conditions like? Was scab disease a problem? One of the most important factors is irrigation and keeping the trees watered especially during prolonged dry periods and nearing harvest. University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells stressed the importance of keeping trees irrigated during …
Pecan Cultivars: Scab, Crop Load Main Factors in Farmers’ Selections
By Clint Thompson The first rule in cultivar selection for pecan growers is there is no perfect cultivar. What may work for one producer may not for another, believes University of Georgia (UGA) pecan breeder Patrick Conner. “The difficulty is we don’t have one way of growing pecans. We have small growers, medium-sized growers; growers with hundreds of acres. We …
2021 Pecan Season: Same Low Price, Diminished Yields?
By Clint Thompson One of Georgia’s biggest pecan crops in recent years is expected to drop significantly in 2021. Georgia’s crop that netted 147.5 million pounds is only expected to produce about half of that this fall, due to pecan’s alternate bearing cycle, believes University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells. That’s not good news for producers who …
Pecan Interest Slows Amid Rising Input Costs, Deflated Market Prices
By Clint Thompson Pecan interest has finally slowed amid rising input costs and a deflated market. Need proof? Just look at the attendance at Tuesday’s Pecan Beginner’s School at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center. “The planting of nursery trees over the past year did drop. The number of trees planted, people are still planting, but I think …
Pecan Outlook: Hope for Market Rebound in 2021
By Clint Thompson Pecan harvest season is still at least three months away, but one Georgia farmer has high hopes for the upcoming year. “I hope that we’re looking at stronger prices for the coming year. We’re still a good ways out on that. We’ve got a lot of pecans left to try to make between now and harvest. If …