LAS CRUCES, N.M. — New Mexico's pecan industry posted its largest-ever production for a low-bearing year and raked in the most money — some $186.8 million — in the nation last year, according to a recent official report.

Also, the state's production of 66 million pounds was the second-highest in the country in 2010, behind Georgia's 70 million, according to the numbers.

The statewide production in 2010 was the most on record for what's called an "off" year in the two-year cycle of pecan trees, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The phenomenon results in a heavy crop one year and light one the next.

New Mexico's crop was up 53 percent from the last light year, 2008. Also, it was about 40 percent higher than in the previous low-bearing year record, set in 2006.

Some farmers predicted a bumper state crop going into the harvest last fall.

The reasons for the extra-large production are "multi-faceted," said Longino Bustillos, with the National Agricultural Statistics Service for New Mexico. Part of it was a 10 percent increase in trees that reached nut-bearing age, he said. Plus, young trees continued to mature by increasing their "bearing surface."

Southeastern counties also played a role.

"Chaves and Eddy counties showed significant increases over last year as their 2009 crops were down significantly due to a freeze," he said. "Grower comments from these two counties indicated that yields per acre or tree may have been the largest ever."

The volume of pecans was down in those counties the previous season, contributing to the stellar crop in 2010.

In Dona Ana County, some 43.6 million pounds were produced - about 66 percent of the state's production. It was also the largest-ever light year for the county, beating out the 47 million pounds of 2006, Bustillos said.

The New Mexico pecan crop, though smaller in size than Georgia's, received a higher average price per pound, according to the federal numbers. Texas produced 50 million in-shell pounds.

Also, last Thursday's report released for the first time the official average price per pound received by New Mexico growers: $2.83 per in-shell pound. That, too, sets a new record, beating out a previous high of $2.28 from 2004 in the state.

Asked about last season, Las Cruces-area pecan farmer James Salopek said: "We did all right."

"It was fair," he said. "We paid our expenses. As long as we can do that, we're OK."

Nationwide last winter, pecans were sold at about $2.30 per in-shell pound on average, according to the recent numbers.

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The market for pecans in China was essentially non-existent about a decade ago. But the nut has become a delicacy, used in that country's New Year celebration, and demand has spiked, heavily influencing U.S. pecan prices the last few years.

Salopek said this year's crop is looking "pretty good" so far, though a shortage of river water is causing problems for farmers, especially those without ground wells.

"You've got to spend a little bit more money," he said.

Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com

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