The USDA released the latest pecan summary for the US with details of activities around the southern US pecan belt. Most growers have completed harvest for the season while a few growers out west are still finishing up. 

 

Details of offerings seem to be on the lighter side with Western Schley averaging around $2.00 per pound in-shell or around $3.50 per point. 

 

Farmgate pecan prices have been a mixed bag this year across the US with growers receiving anywhere from as low as a dollar per pound to as high as $2.35 per pound for the highest quality. Retail pecan prices seem to be holding up well and growers who sell directly to consumers of course receive much more than wholesale prices listed above. 

 

 

Pecan imports from Mexico into the US are also monitored in the USDA report, showing imports of pecans from Mexico down around 18% so far for the season. In-shell pecan imports are down around 20% while shelled pecan imports are down about 17% for the season. 

 

Imports of pecans into the US have become a hot topic in the industry as some growers are looking to implement import tariffs on pecans imported into the US. American pecan growers produce more than enough pecans to supply the domestic demand for pecans, however handlers import millions of pounds of pecans from Mexico prior to the US harvest effectively lowering farmgate pecan prices in the US. 

 

 

Critics of the tariffs say that an import tariff will harm the industry but have not articulated exactly how. Importers of pecans do not want the tariffs while US pecan growers largely do want the tariff imposed. No surprise there. The issue has largely only been discussed at the local levels and has not made any headway to my knowledge. 

 

The next report is scheduled to be released this afternoon and will likely be one of the last for the season released by the USDA.