Texas pumpkin yields and quality up despite hot summer

The 2024 growing season was good for Texas pumpkin producers, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert and pumpkin farmers. Yields and quality were up for most growers compared to last year.

Mark Carroll, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Floyd County, said this year's pumpkin yields remained below average but were an improvement over last season when output was down 20-40% on average due to drought.

"We were lucky to have good rains around planting but then part of July and most of August were extremely hot," Carroll said.

Retail prices for pumpkins typically fluctuate week to week leading up to Halloween, but Carroll said there should be plenty of pumpkins to purchase throughout their annual peak demand. If you want to support local growers, Carroll said to look for stickers identifying "Texas grown" pumpkins when purchasing at a market, nursery or pumpkin patch.

Producer perspective

Floydada, about 50 miles northeast of Lubbock, is known as the "pumpkin capital of Texas." Its annual pumpkin festival will be held Oct. 12.

Jacob Reddy, a grower and partner at Pumpkin Pyles in Floydada, said the drier months and extreme heat resulted in average- to slightly smaller-sized pumpkins, but that quantity and quality were excellent this year.

"Our bloom set was pretty good, and although more rain would have been nice over the summer to reduce irrigation, our crop is better than last year," he said. "There are plenty of pumpkins of every size available, and we're also really happy with the shape and variety this year."

Reddy said there were no significant pest or disease pressure and it was a pretty smooth year for his operation. Texas pumpkin growers like Reddy send their product to Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, in addition to supplying Texas markets.

Texas pumpkins

Data available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service shows Texas is consistently among the top six pumpkin producing states. In 2020, Texas led the nation in pumpkin crop value at $25.9 million. Dry weather that year led to higher quality and lower yields, which contributed to higher pumpkin prices than in other states. In 2021, Texas produced 108 million pounds of pumpkin.

Illinois is consistently the country's top pumpkin producer, but most of its crop is for pie filling and other processed foods. Those pumpkins demand a lower price per pound than decorative jack-o'-lantern-style pumpkins and ornamental gourds.

While precise statistics for the past few years aren't available, Carroll said pumpkin acres and production in Texas is increasing and expanding to counties outside the traditional growing regions.