State’s pecan yield increases 29 percent

Pecan production in Arkansas rose significantly in 2014, and its total value was up as well, the United States Department of Agriculture said in a report Friday.

The USDA report said Arkansas produced 3.5 million pounds of pecans in 2014, up 29 percent compared with the year before. While the average price per pound was $1.32, down 8 cents from 2013, the total value of the 2014 crop was $4.61 million, up from $3.78 million for 2013.

In other states of the USDA’s Delta Region, Louisiana produced 14 million pounds, up 27 percent from the year before, and Mississippi saw production drop 82 percent to 1 million pounds in 2014.

Pecan production nationally was 265 million pounds, down slightly from 2013. The average price per pound for 2014 was $1.91, up 18 cents from the year earlier. Total value of the crop was $508 million, up from $460 million in 2013.