| Estimated Cost |
$2,000 per acre establishment; $600 annual operating per acre; 7 years to first harvest; harvest October to January |
| Market Outlets |
Accumulators, retail at orchard, mail order, shelling plants |
| Market Potential |
Fair room for some expansion |
| Profit Potential |
$0 to $1,200 per acre |
| Adapted Areas |
All of Texas south of Hale County and north of Nueces and Webb counties |
| Labor Requirements |
One man per 50 acres; five men at harvest |
| Equipment Requirements |
Ranges from $40,000 to $200,000 for tractor, speed sprayer, disk, shredder, shaker, cleaner, harvestors, herbicide sprayer, scales |
| Soil Requirements |
Deep, well-drained river bottom, upland sands and well-drained clay |
| Water Requirements |
42 inches per year from rain or supplemental irrigation |
| Minimum Size |
10 acres |
| Risk Factor |
Moderate to low |
| Other Limiting Factors |
Alternate bearing; high establishment cost with long term pay-off limits most pecan operations. Major insects and diseases include scab, nut casebearer, yellow aphid, hickory shuckworm, stink bug, stem end blight, phylloxera and weevil. |
| Comments |
Approximately 50 percent of the improved orchards planted in Texas are on soils which limit economic returns. Pecans require 7 years for the crop to pay annual expenses and 12 to 15 years to recoup the investment. |
