Pecan season looking uncertain this year

TYLER, Texas ( KETK ) – Experts say it's a happy time for some growers, and a disappointing one for others.

The last few years have seen a bad crop for pecan farmers, but owners of Palestine Texas Pecans Jim and Suzy Livergood say this season is starting on a better note.

"This year they are really opening early, they just started falling and the crows were getting them, so Jim said I got to start shaking these things before the crows and the squirrels get all of them," Suzy said.

In 2023 the nut was hard to find, and some farmers were forced to bring them in from outside the state.

"We'll have to buy pecans from someplace else, hopefully, some place in Texas and we'll buy enough to keep the store going through the year," Livergood said in 2023.

Texas A&M AgriLife is unsure if this year will be any better for parts of Texas.

"It's kind of flat with last year or very similar, will it be a few million pounds over last year, a few million under maybe, depends on how the weather goes through the harvest period, October through December," Texas A&M AgriLife extension service extension specialist Monte Nesbitt said.

The spring and summer were rainy, especially in East Texas, which has caused issues for pecans, like scabs which is a fungal disease that can affect the quality of the nut.

"It's very endemic in East Texas and we've had a good year for it, meaning some people will not have good pecans as a result of their tree being susceptible to that fungal disease," Nesbitt said.

As the season gets into full swing, all the Livergoods can do is pray things continue on a good path, and they can see a better harvest.

Experts say the best thing for this crop right now is less water. This will help cut down on disease and ensure farmers have enough time to harvest.