By Clint Thompson
Pecan prices were less than desirable for Southeast producers. But they could have been a lot worse, explains Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist.
He said prices, while low, have stayed steady throughout the harvest season. It is mainly due to China being a buyer again this year.
“This year we haven’t seen a lot of fluctuation in price to this point. The demand from China has stayed pretty consistent through harvest. Prices are nothing like they were 5 to 10 years ago. But considering what we have seen the last few years, they’re decent prices,” Wells said. “It would be a lot lower if it wasn’t for China. That’s the thing about it, we’re glad they’re buying this year, but we can’t count on them to buy next year.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service, export sales slowed last week due to less volume but it did not affect market prices.
Prices paid growers (Dec. 14-Dec. 19) at buyers delivery point or F.O.B. the orchard including direct sales to end users, cents per pound in-shell of generally good quality in lots of 20,000 pounds or less including lots over 20,000 pounds including truckloads:
Cape Fear (nut count 50-55) 52% to 54% meat yield, $1.75 to $1.85 per pound; Desirable, (nut count 46-49), 50% to 52% meat yield, $1.70 to $1.80 per pound; Stuarts, (nut count 50-57), 46% to 50% meat yield, $1.60 to $1.70 per pound; Elliott, yard tree lots, $1.25, larger sized pecans high as $1.30 to $1.40; and Sumners, (nut count 50-53), 51% to 53% meat yield, $1.65 to $1.75 per pound.
“Those prices have been like that for most of the season,” Wells said.