Record prices expected for Oklahoma pecans

ARDMORE, Okla. (AP) -- With the fall hurricanes damaging pecan trees in Georgia, Alabama and Florida, officials say it should be a good year for Oklahoma growers and producers.<br/><br/>Oklahoma Pecan

Thursday, December 2nd 2004, 1:04 pm

By: News On 6

ARDMORE, Okla. (AP) -- With the fall hurricanes damaging pecan trees in Georgia, Alabama and Florida, officials say it should be a good year for Oklahoma growers and producers.

Oklahoma Pecan Company owner Jerry Rutledge says Oklahoma will produce about 25-million pounds of pecans at an estimated value of $35-million.

Although not a record crop, Rutledge says it will be a record price.

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry says production in a typical year can range from 2-million up to 20-million pounds. A record 63-million pounds were produced in 1999.

Less pecans from the southern coastal states has driven up the price of pecans from Oklahoma.

Pecan producers in Georgia, Alabama and Florida are taking a double hit this year with hurricanes late in the growing season and battling pecan disease.