Pecans: High Cost, Big Returns

The boom in nut prices in recent years is expected to continue as consumers opt for healthier foods. This has increasingly led to farmers replacing their crops with nut trees. While pecan farming can be a lucrative venture, aspiring nut growers must begin with a solid foundation, says Shane Eva, farm manager for Halls and Sons.

- Lindi Botha

Pecan nut farming is a long-term investment, dependent on the producer making the correct choices early on in the business. This is according to Shane Eva, farm manager for Halls and Sons in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. Halls grows, packs and markets subtropical fruit, including avocado, mango, litchi and pecan nuts.

Shane says that choosing the right location, cultivar and land preparation technique are crucial to ensure orchards function optimally from the start, and that the return on investment is maximised.

THE COST OF AN ORCHARD

Pecan production is widespread across South Africa, but orchards are increasingly being established in the drier Northern Cape. While pecan trees like dry conditions, they also require wet roots, and prefer short, cold winters and long, hot summers.

Pecan trees need 285 days a year for growing, with warm nights. The crop can handle frost, as the cold ensures the tree goes into complete dormancy, which ensures even growth in spring.

Orchards expected to bear fruit for multiple generations require a perfect starting foundation; any shortcuts taken in the beginning could cost the farmer for years to come. Shane says that thorough land preparation and consistency are crucial.

“A bulldozer and tractor disc are needed to prepare the soil, but, most importantly, the contractor must be experienced in agricultural land preparation.”

Hiring land preparation equipment, excluding fuel, costs about R2 200/ha for a bulldozer single rip, and around R1 500/ha for a tractor disc.

The soil should be deep and well drained to hold air, water and nutrients. While pecan trees can grow in shallow soil, the soil should be between at least 90cm and 100cm deep for commercial production, and preferably even deeper.

Pecans are planted at a spacing of 10m x 10m, resulting in 100 trees/ha at a cost of about R28 000/ha for the trees.