As the 2017 pecan harvest season draws near, the contracting season for pecans has already begun with buyers around the globe looking to contract pecans for various markets and uses. Despite the wide variety of uses, and markets; one thing almost all these buyers have in common is experience, and that is precisely why most of the pecan buyers have begun contracting early this year. Last year was no different. With global demand for both in-shell pecans and shelled pecans on the rise, savvy buyers know that purchasing early in the year is the only way to guarantee pecan product availability.