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US facing obstacles in the 2023/2024 season with a glimmer of hope
The US pecan industry has had many stumbling blocks in the 2023/2024 season, including adverse weather conditions such as droughts in key regions like New Mexico and Texas, and the impact of Hurricane Idalia on crops in Georgia and North Carolina (Mundus Agri, 2023). Moreover, the period from December 2005 to December 2023 marked the lowest cold storage levels in 18 years.
However, a glimmer of hope emerges as the USDA intervened by purchasing 6.2 million pounds (2,812 MT) of pecan pieces to bolster the domestic market and support pecan growers throughout the US (Mundus Agri, 2024).
Despite the challenges, the US managed to expand its presence in several key shelled pecan markets. Export data from September to December 2023 revealed significant increases in exports to Saudi Arabia (+377.8%), South Korea (+86.3%), and the Netherlands (+16.8%) compared to the previous year. Conversely, declines in exports to the UK (-53.3%), Israel (-8.1%), and Canada (-8.0%) proved meaningful.
Total US shelled pecan exports amounted to 9.558 million pounds (4,325 MT), down only 7.4% from 2022.
The top 10 largest markets for US shelled pecans, September to December 2022 vs 2023:
| Import Destination | 2022 | 2023 | Units | % Change | |
| 1 | Canada | 1,378 | 1,256 | MT | -8.0% |
| 2 | Israel | 519 | 477 | MT | -8.1% |
| 3 | South Korea | 221 | 412 | MT | 86.3% |
| 4 | Netherlands | 237 | 277 | MT | 16.8% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 575 | 269 | MT | -53.3% |
| 6 | Saudi Arabia | 49 | 234 | MT | 377.8% |
| 7 | France | 185 | 196 | MT | 6.4% |
| 8 | Lithuania | 114 | 105 | MT | -8.4% |
| 9 | Japan | 54 | 66 | MT | 23.7% |
| 10 | UAE | 38 | 65 | MT | 71.4% |
| Others | 1,298 | 967 | MT | -25.6% | |
| Total | 4,668 | 4,325 | -7.4% |
Source: American Pecan Council (APC), Mundus Agri
Furthermore, in-shell US pecan exports to China totalled a whopping 22.2 million pounds (10,038 MT) during September to December 2023, compared to the 4.5 million pounds (2,052 MT) exported in 2022, signifying a 389% increase.
This surge in exports to China can be partially attributed to lower production levels in South Africa, creating an opportunity for the US to fulfil market demand. Contributing to the highest volumes exported to China from the US since the start of the trade war in 2017/2018 (Chelmer Foods, 2023).
Overall, despite facing challenges, the US pecan industry did well to navigate through times of uncertainty in the 2023/2024 season, showcasing its ability to capitalize on emerging opportunities in both domestic and international markets.
Source: Chelmer Foods, Mundus Agri, American Pecan Council (APC)
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