Pecan farmer anticipates record year

"I'd be willing to bet New Mexico is going to hit 80 million pounds this year," Phillip Arnold said.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP)--This year's pecan crop could be the largest ever for the state, a Las Cruces pecan farmer and buyer says.

"I'd be willing to bet New Mexico is going to hit 80 million pounds this year," Phillip Arnold said.

Pecan trees tend to alternate between high-production and low-production years, and this is an on year for pecans.

New Mexico produced 55 million pounds in the 2003-04 production year--the last high-production year, according to the National Agriculture Statistics Service.

In high-production years, the quality of the crops tend to decline because a percentage of the harvest turns out to be empty shells. But that decline in quality didn't happen this year, Arnold said.

The state is forecast to reach 62 million pounds this year, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture.

New Mexico typically falls behind Georgia and Texas in pecan production, but Arnold said this year's crop might bump New Mexico into the top position.

"We had a tremendous amount of moisture last February. Because of that it may have actually helped (tree) root growth during the winter months," he said.

Dona Ana County extension agent John White said harvesting conditions this year were favorable and the weather was perfect.

Last winter, frequent rainstorms kept many pecan farmers from moving equipment through their fields, delaying the harvest.

Dona Ana county's farmers are expected to finish harvesting in the next two to three weeks, White said.

Date:1/26/06