The U.S. is the world’s leading producer of pecans, harvesting on average between 250 million pounds (over 110,000 metric tons) and 300 million pounds (nearly 140,000 metric tons) each year. American pecans constitute some 80% of the world market. The top pecan-producing states are Georgia, New Mexico and Texas.Did you know...
Through careful handling and state-of-the-art storage, American pecans are available year-round.
Pecans are grown commercially in 15 states in the southern U.S. including Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.
All varieties are derived from the native U.S. pecan, which grew wild in North America for millions of years. U.S. pecan growers have developed new cultivars with natural non-GMO methods to ensure consistent superior quality.
Pecans are grown in groves or orchards of trees. Groves are groupings of trees that are grown naturally, while orchards are defined as groups of trees planted by humans. Trees in both settings are cared for by dedicated, experienced growers, and can live for many years.
It takes between 7 to 10 years before a pecan tree begins to produce a full supply of nuts. But once the process starts, the tree can product for a very long time, sometimes more than 100 years.
