Australian pecan industry finally reaping rewards: HTW

The Australian nut industry reached a record high $1,045,000,000 in exports for the 2018/19 year, according to the recently released ABS report.

Property valuation firm Herron Todd White (HTW) found that the industry is currently experiencing its largest expansion in a decade, with industry value is split almost equally between domestic and imported product.

The most prominent nut products produced in the country are almonds, macadamia, walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, pistachio, and hazelnuts..

Australia currently exports nuts to around 55 countries, but a range of new free trade agreements currently in negotiation are bringing further optimism to all facets of the industry. 

Pecans

Most of the Australian pecan crop is produced under irrigation in the Gwydir Valley, east of Moree in northern inland New South Wales.

Smaller scale production extends from the Hunter Valley and Nelson Bay on the NSW Central Coast to the Mid North Coast near Kempsey, and the North Coast around Lismore. Pecans are also grown in Central Queensland around Mundubbera and Eidsvold and in the South East in the Lockyer Valley and south to the NSW border.

HTW found that the area under pecan orchards nationally is currently 1,800 ha, producing approximately 3,000 tonnes in-shell (1,650 tonnes of kernel).

Pecan trees take 10 years or more to reach full production there is a substantial lag time before new plantings impact crop size.

After a long period of stagnation production increases are now being observed, according to the property valuation firm.

Global production remains concentrated in US and Mexico which together account for 90% or more of the world crop.

South Africa continues to expand production with small but significant crops also to be found in Central and South America, HTW noted.