By KRWG News
New Mexico – Pecan growers in southern New Mexico's Dona Ana County are expecting higher prices this year.
That's because of increasing sales to China and an expected lower supply of pecans nationwide.
New Mexico State University's pecan extension specialist, Richard Heerema, says there's growing demand in China for American pecans.
Heerema says the U.S. supply, however, is expected to be down because pecans tend to produce a heavy crop one year and a light crop the next.
This is a light year.
Dona Ana County growers have not started their pecan harvest, but Las Cruces-area pecan farmer Greg Daviet says Mesilla Valley's crop is expected to be large for an off year.
Industry forecasts from summer predicted New Mexico would produce 55 million to 57 million pounds of in-shell nuts.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.