Borderland farmers optimistic about this year’s pecan prices

Lovers of deserts, get your recipes ready. It’s pecan season in the borderland! We’re were able to catch up with a local pecan farm to find out how this harvest is coming along.

“We got plenty of nuts on the trees right now,” said Guadalupe Ramirez, part owner of the Ramirez pecan farm.

This harvest Ramirez is optimistic about the price of his farm’s pecans.

“Right now we’re waiting, waiting to see what the price is going to be,” Ramirez said “The price hasn’t come out yet. It might go a little higher this year”.

He said Georgia and Mexico are usually the first to export their pecans. But too much rain there hurt the crops.

“From what I understand they’re going to be having a hard time fulfilling contracts,” Ramirez.

Which means he, and other borderland pecan farmers can bump up their prices. Customers don’t have to worry yet, they probably won’t see a price hike until next year:

He anticipates his 300 pecan trees will yield 20,000-30,000 lbs. of nuts, harvested by workers, helped by machines, and even plucked by pecan-lovers who want the experience of picking their own pound.

“We are just getting started here because of the freeze, Ramirez said.

Ramirez said farmers in the borderland were blessed this year.

“We got quite a bit of rain, so even though we got less water than last year for irrigation, the rain has helped us out, Ramirez said. “For us it’s going to be a good year.”

If you want to taste the fresh pecans, be sure to stop by the harvest festival at the Ramirez farm next weekend in Clint, at 13709 N. Loop Dr., Clint, TX 79836. The festivities start at 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Once you get there you can even pick your own pecans, they’re just $2 per pound.