Pecans: US shipments take a hit
April 15, 2026 at 1:45 PM ,
Der AUDITOR
Shipments down
At 199 million pounds total inshell basis shipments range 11% lower than the 224 million pounds registered in September through to February 2024/2025. Both exports and domestic shipments have taken a hit. Monthly inshell basis shipments have also declined by 22%, from 30.7 million pounds in February 2025 to 23.9 million pounds in February 2026 due to a noted downturn in retail and grocery shipments. By contrast, exports rose for two months in a row in January and February after a prolonged period of decline as the APC Market Analysis for February highlights.
Dip in exports
At 3.9 million pounds total in-shell exports have slumped by 43% as compared with the 7 million pounds registered in September to February 2024/2025. China is the main export destination. Yet, shipments to here have slumped by 55% to 2.6 million pounds. Mexico (459,294 pounds), Morocco (318,116 pounds) and Lebanon (281,099 pounds) are next in line with much smaller volumes.
Shelled meat exports have dipped by 8% this season so far with Canada continuing to top the chart. Exports to Israel have witnessed a 19% downturn and are relatively flat in the Netherlands. Germany is sporting the sharpest uprise of 97%, and Saudi Arabia the sharpest fall of 51%.
|
US pecan exports (1,000 pounds) |
|||
|
Destination |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
Canada |
3,450 |
4,041 |
17.1% |
|
Israel |
2,910 |
2,351 |
-19.2% |
|
Netherlands |
1,593 |
1,614 |
1.3% |
|
South Korea |
1,602 |
1,490 |
-7.0% |
|
Germany |
461 |
908 |
97.0% |
|
UK |
1,228 |
775 |
-36.9% |
|
Saudi Arabia |
1,110 |
546 |
-50.8% |
|
Lithuania |
426 |
486 |
14.1% |
|
France |
645 |
382 |
-40.8% |
|
Japan |
205 |
358 |
74.6% |
|
Others |
3,363 |
2,763 |
-17.8% |
|
Total |
16,993 |
15,714 |
-7.5% |
|
American Pecan Council, 01/09-28/02 |
|||
Improved inventories
At 238.2 million pounds total crop receipts stand 10% higher than last year’s 216.7 million pounds. Inventories also sit 6% higher than last year’s 235.6 million pounds at 248.7 million pounds. ACP also reports a net open position of 31.3 million pounds, which is much better than the -23.8 million pounds witnessed last year. Issue is that the western crop has driven up receipts and inventories after the weak crop in the eastern US gave rise to concerns as the Market Analysis highlights.
The analysis also emphasises that exports to the Middle East have been heavily impacted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Israeli led war against Iran started on 28 February. Shipments to the Gulf countries are mainly confined to the port of Muscat in Oman and Jeddah in the Red Sea. Freight rates to the region have also soared along with insurance costs and a significant proportion of US exports will be stalled by these developments. The Middle East may not be the main export destination for US pecans, yet still plays an important part. At 3.4 million pounds shelled meat exports to here, in fact, ranged 25% lower than last year’s 4.5 million pounds in September 2025 to February 2026.
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