Expansion in planted areas and production over the past decade has strengthened South Africa’s position in global pecan markets. Pecans account for approximately 2% of global tree nut production in the 2024/25 season, compared with dominant crops such as almonds (27%) and pistachios (20%).

As the SA pecan harvest continues to grow momentum, one of the most interesting ways to assess the season is to compare harvest progress with previous years.

Recently South African handlers had received 22,277 tonnes of pecans. Historically it’s represented the season as follows: 43,1% of the final crop in 2022, 41,6% in 2023, 31,6% in 2024, and 39,1% in 2025.

Pecan farming is a long-term investment and trees can take up to seven years before harvest. Photo: Isabel van Tonder

Across these four seasons, an average of 38,9% of the final crop had been delivered by Week 27. If the 2026 harvest follows an average historical pattern, the current delivery pace would indicate a final crop of approximately 57 300 tonnes.

This historical comparison does not replace the South African Pecan Nut Producers Association (Sappa) crop estimation process. This organisation, established in 1992, is a non-profit company that serves the interests of pecan farmers by providing agricultural statistics, technical advice and research.

According to Sappa weather conditions, seasonal differences, processing capacity and the timing of harvests can influence how closely the current season follows historical trends.

South Africa has already exported 9 224 tonnes of in-shell pecans, which is an encouraging factor for the sector. Relative to the crop received so far, this means that approximately 41,3% of all deliveries have already been exported. This compares favourably with previous seasons:

 Season in-shell exports as % of crop received (Week 27) compares as follows:

2022: 24.1%, 2023: 31.5%, 2024: 31.9%, 2025: 40.6%, and 2026: 41.4%.

 This suggests that exporters continue to move product through the supply chain at an impressive pace, despite the larger volumes being harvested.

Vaalharts is the largest pecan-producing region contributing more than half of SA's production. Photo: Isabel van Tonder

Although it remains early in the harvest, both deliveries and exports indicate another strong year for the South African pecan industry.

Pecan farming is a long-term investment. A pecan tree may take seven years or more to reach meaningful production, making early orchard decisions critical to long-run performance.

In the 2025 season, Vaalharts is the largest pecan-producing region, contributing approximately 25,700 tons and respresenting more than half of South Africa’s production.

OFM Agri/Isabel van Tonder sm

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