Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
New Mexico's utilized pecan production in 2019 reached a record high 96.6 million pounds, the highest in the nation.
Estimates show New Mexico's utilized pecan production in 2019 reached a record high of 96.6 million pounds, up 6% from 91.1 million pounds in 2018.
New Mexico has become the No. 1 pecan-producing state in the United States. The estimated value of 2019 New Mexico pecan production was $170.02 million.
The preliminary data was included in the Jan. 23 Pecan Production report released by the United States Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The pecan harvest will not be complete until late February, at which time USDA-NASS will collect final data. Final crop production figures are scheduled to be released May 5.
New Mexico is also home to the highest pecan-producing county in the nation. According to the 2017 census, Doña Ana County led the nation with 34,319 total acres, of which 31,891 were bearing acres.
The state as a whole had 50,722 total acres of pecans, of which 44,434 were bearing acres.
According to the preliminary 2019 data, New Mexico had the highest utilized production, followed by Georgia at 69 million pounds.
The report noted many trees in Georgia still were recovering from the effects of Hurricane Michael in 2018, including broken roots and loss of fruiting limbs. Hot, dry weather in late August through October also negatively affected Georgia's yield.
