ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) – All that rain is doing some good. Farmers in southeastern New Mexico says it’s looking like a very good year for pecans.
Farmers say the conditions to this point have been excellent and if they stay that way, it could be one of the best year’s they’ve seen in a while.
Bill Bonham has been farming pecans for more than 40 years. With about 1,500 acres of pecan trees, a good harvest is what he needs and is what he’s expecting.
“You can see clusters of up to seven or so in a group which is unusual,” said Bonham.
Bonham says a lot can influence pecan production, and this year the high expectations are because of the weather.
“We feel rather satisfied at present and you know if we don’t have any hail and it continues to rain a little bit I think we’ll have an excellent crop,” he said.
Last year’s pecan harvest was low because of bad weather conditions.
Bonham says a good crop usually produces about 3,000 pounds per acre and more than that isn’t good for the consumer.
“When you make 4,000 pounds per acre you’re going to find a lower quality,” he said.
He still says there is a lot of time between now and then and anything can happen. “I think it’s gonna be good, a lot of it depends on Mother Nature,” he said.
Bonham says they normally spray for a pecan casebearer, a bug that comes in and eats the pecans, but this year they are thinking about letting the bugs have their fair share because their crops are so big. Letting those bugs eat some of the pecans allows the others more room to grow larger.
