In preparation for an increasing demand for pecans in the US, American pecan buyers and sellers have been active in the market in the last month with shipments from US pecan growers finally surpassing last years deliveries to handlers for the first time this year.
Pecan deliveries from the farm are now at 6% ahead of where we were at the same time last year. Pecan prices on the farm have lagged this year but have held firm at the consumer level of the supply chain. The industry has had major concerns since the trade war and then again with the Covid-19 economic shutdown, but so far deliveries have continued to keep pace and even increasing over last years stellar performance.
The pecan industry had seen stagnant demand, even decreasing, for years prior to the marketing efforts of the US Pecan Growers, and now the American Pecan Council. Pecan deliveries to customers are outpacing last years historic growth and future commitments to ship are also outpacing last year, signifying strong future demand as well.
This is not a big surprise for industry insiders who say this could, and should continue for the foreseeable future. When comparing the pecan industry to the Almond and Walnut industry, the pecan industry is decades behind in funding and marketing, having only recently formed a national marketing order.
The pecan industry may be behind with marketing and research, but they have hit the ground running so to speak. Having now fully staffed their organization and partnering with major global marketing teams and social media influencer networks the American Pecan industry is poised for enormous growth, and some industry experts think they will do it faster than Almonds or Walnuts.
Executive director of the American Pecan Council, Alexander Ott, has been around the specialty ag industry for years. Having experience in the California grape industry, as well as being executive director for the California Apple, Olive, and Blueberry Commission’s, Mr. Ott is well versed at steering agricultural commodities councils down the path of industry growth.
Not all has been easy sailing for the pecan council, as growers have had to but heads with several middle men shellers attempting to game the system with foreign product, but growers have been quick to act removing the threat to their new found growth.
The Covid-19 shut down is still a concern for pecan growers as some have reported reduced retail sales during the shutdown, and some fear this could be trickling down from larger accounts in the future. As for now shipments are still strong in the US.
