Georgia Agricultural Resources: Commodity Facts

Pecans

Pecans have been an important part of southern diet and culture since before the arrival of European settlers. The first successful grafts of the pecan tree were done in 1846 by a Louisiana plantation gardener. The cultivation of the pecan tree increased, and the technique of sowing proved to be the most effective.

Today the tree is most widely cultivated in the states of New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Texas, where the pecan tree is the official state tree.

Georgia is the nation's largest supplier of pecans, with more than half the total U.S. production.

An average pecan harvest is about 100 million pounds. In 2001 the crop was 95 million pounds and in 1993, the crop weighed in at a record 150 million pounds.

The state's major pecan-producing region is near Albany, in south-central Georgia, although there are large and small orchards from Atlanta southward.

Pecans are often associated with the traditional pie or pralines but they are used in a variety of recipes, from cookies and desserts to salads and main dishes. Pecans can replace just about any nut in cookies.

Pecans are available in many forms; you'll find them vacuum- packed in jars, sealed in plastic bags, or packed in cans. For the freshest and most flavorful pecans, choose whole ones in the shell; look for nuts that are heavy for their size and don't rattle
when shaken. There shouldn't be any cracks or holes in the shells. When you buy shelled pecans, look for a date on the bag or container. Shelled pecans absorb odors and turn rancid quickly, and should be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Pecans can be stored in the freezer for up to two years, so if you buy more than you can use right away, store them in a moisture-proof plastic bag in the freezer. Unshelled pecans may be stored for about 3 months at room temperature.

Even though pecans have a high fat content, they're a good source of potassium, thiamine, zinc, copper, magnesium, phosphorous, niacin, folic acid, iron, and vitamin B6, they are also a good source of fiber.

Pecans are rich in oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat believed to help in preventing heart disease.

 

More Information

• Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Pecan
  Phone: 912/273-4548
• Georgia Pecan Growers Association
  Phone: 229/382-2187
• Pecans are good and good for you!
• Pecan Recipes
• Pecan Cultivars
• Georgia Pecan Commission
• Pecan Pest Management

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