According to the president of the Mississippi Pecan Growers Association, this year's harvest could be the best since 2003, even though a late-season drought is delaying harvest in most of the state.
Max Draughn tells the Mississippi State University Extension Service that rain and cool nights are needed to open shucks and drop the nuts. He says nuts set early this spring, but growers "went into slow motion when it got dry" about Labor Day.
Associate professor, Eric Stafne, says the harvest should total between 3 and 4 million pounds. He says the average is about 2 million, with only about 1 million last year.
He says yield will be hit-and-miss in south Mississippi, but probably pretty good in central and north Mississippi.
Source: www.agweb.com