Because pecans are an agricultural product, there are a lot of unpredictable factors that have an impact on wholesale pecan prices. Most of the time, the price of pecans is ultimately determined by how many pounds of fresh pecans can be harvested from each tree. There are many factors that may impact the number and size of the pecans that are harvested from the trees.
Weather
The weather is the most unpredictable, and the most dramatic factor that can influence wholesale pecan prices. Droughts, especially ones that impact the southwestern United States during the growing season can reduce the number and size of the pecan nuts, and also can stress and weaken trees, making them more susceptible to pests and diseases.
A bigger weather-related factor impacting the quality of a pecan harvest is extremely wet weather at the wrong time. A lot of rain, especially around the pecan harvest time, can have a significant negative impact on the quality of the pecans. Pecans soaked by rains late in the season may expose the nut inside of the shucks, getting it wet. Ripe pecans need to dry out a bit to maintain the quality of the pecan meat inside the nut. Pecans that end up on the rain-soaked ground can cause them to become rancid, or become food for squirrels, deer, crows and other pests.
Insects
There are a lot of insects that love attacking pecan trees. If a pecan tree or orchard is not protected from pests such as stink bugs, webworms, and aphids, the result can be a significant reduction in yield from those trees.
Disease
Maintaining excellent care of your pecan trees is one of the best ways to prevent diseases that affect pecan trees. Some of the best ways to take care of your pecan trees include purchasing and planting disease resistant varieties of pecan trees, making sure that the trees get the right amount of water and fertilizer, pruning the trees, and managing the ground near your pecan trees by getting rid of tall grass and weeds near the trees because they ultimately compete with the tree for water and nutrients.
Getting rid of dead and diseased trees is also an important step in maintaining healthy yields in your pecan groves. Pecan trees that are planted too close together may also decrease the number and size of the pecans you can harvest from them.
Pecan Scab Disease
Pecan Scab Disease is one of the most common diseases that pecan trees contract, and the damage the Scab causes can be significant since it not only affects the pecan nuts, it affects the leaves and shucks of the pecan tree as well. If pecan growers cannot manage the growth of the Scab, the result can be extremely damaging for pecan farmers. Because Scab is a fungal disease, it is more prevalent during rainy, hot and humid weather.
Get the Best Price on Pecans by the Case from Stahmanns
At Stahmanns we do everything we can to make sure that our environmentally friendly pecans are protected from pests, disease and the weather. And our high-quality pecans are preferred by restaurants and grocery stores all over the country. Give us a call at 575-526-2453, ext. 108 or contact us using our simple online form to get more information about our SQF certified pecans.