Weather beatings shrink pecan crop

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - Pecan farmers say this year has turned into one of the worst they've ever seen, and that the drought is just one problem.

"It's probably going to be one of the shortest crops that we've seen in production in probably about a dozen years, yes, and the drought--I can't ever remember it this dry," said Bruce Haley, of Haley Farms in Roswell.

Bill Bonham has been farming in Roswell for 64 years, and he said a deep freeze in February also affected crops.

"Well, we just haven't had a spell like that for years, and our pecan crop is about as bad as I've seen it," Bonham said.

Roswell farmers said their span of nearly 1,700 acres of pecan orchards in town are lacking quite a bit this year.

"An average good year for us is just under four million pounds, and an off year, we'll be closer to one million, a million-and-a-half; this year we're hoping for a million, it's going to be pretty low," Haley explained.

Also playing into low production is alternate bearing. That's when trees get weaker after holding a big crop like last year's.

"As farmers, you have to learn to bank it when you make it, and only spend as much as you need to because these are the lean years that will come," Haley said. He said no one in agriculture can get by without learning that quickly.

Farmers said next year's crop looks promising, as long as everything cooperates.

"Pecans, if they have a year that they produce less, that means they'll probably come back the next year with a bigger crop--provided we don't get a late freeze in the spring and take it off again like happened two years ago," Haley explained.

"I hope we don't have one like we had last year, but Mother Nature has a mind of her own," said Bonham, also hoping for better weather next year.

Pecan farmers in Roswell said there's been a recent increase in price for pecans in the last three years due to China getting a taste for them.

Since then, the industry has been playing catch-up to meet the demand for the crop.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the average price per pound for pecans in New Mexico is $2.80.

That's up nearly $1 since China got involved in buying pecans.

Roswell farmers don't know yet if this year's weaker crop will drive prices up further.