The Southeast and the Southwestern US are considered the largest producing areas of pecans in the world. Depending on how you break down the geographical regions one or the other may take the lead.

In the southwestern US, New Mexico, Arizona, and West Texas are by far the largest producers and if you go just south of the border to the state of Chihuahua, Mexico you get another significant producing area, the largest in Mexico. Mexico is thought to have around 125,000 acre of planted pecan trees of which about 60% is in the state of Chihuahua.

In the Southwestern US we have an estimated 82,000 acres with around 25,000 in Arizona, 49,000 in New Mexico and the remainder in West Texas.

While Oklahoma alone has nearly 100,000 acres the yield per acre is quite low. The Southwestern region has the highest yield per acre according to the USDA at around 1,720 pounds per acre averaged over the last 3 years.

While the southeastern US, particularly Georgia, has been the dominant force in pecan production in the US and globally, this region has faced significant challenges that are threatening its lead. Unlike the arid Southwest, the Southeast’s climate is prone to frequent and intense storms, including hurricanes and tropical storms. These weather events have caused devastating damage to pecan orchards in Georgia and the surrounding areas, leading to significant crop losses and long-term tree damage.

Furthermore, the humidity in the Southeast creates a more favorable environment for certain challenges such as pecan scab as well as pests that make growing here more challenging, requiring more intensive management while impacting yields.

According to the latest USDA data Georgia still boasts the largest number of acres in the US along with decent yields, however the threat of recurring severe weather events here in the southeast and the consistently higher yields per acre in the Southwest are contributing to a shift in the landscape of pecan production.