Georgia Pecan Market Update

THOMASVILLE - Jan 7/10 - SNS -- The USDA updated pecan market conditions in the state of Georgia in today's Agricultural Marketing Service report.

Provided by: Fruit and Vegetable Market News
	       Federal-State Market News Service, USDA.

Phone:  (229) 228-1208    Fax: (229) 225-1516

TV_FV140

GEORGIA PECAN REPORT (via Thomasville, Georgia)


    Deliveries by growers for this week decreased with the
shortened work schedules combined with rain and freezing
temperatures. The season is rapidly coming to an end. Interest
is still strong from buyers wanting to purchase nuts for export
sales as well as from domestic markets. Accumulation buying
points reported a strong market with the prices being offered,
however yard tree and door prices decreased slightly due to
condition and quality issues. Most accumulators and shellers
have switched to a shorter work schedule because of the light
offerings available. There is a wide range in quality of the
nuts offered for sale, creating price variances even among yard
tree offerings. Demand is good for high quality nuts and fairly
good for others with appropriate meat yields, uniform unit count
(including smaller nut size) and low moisture content. Buying
interest is primarily from the export and domestic sectors, while
retail sales have slowed down a little after the holidays.
   For lots less than 20,000 pounds with appropriate unit count
and purchased on a meat cost basis, lots of Blends with unit
counts under 68 and a meat yield of 44-52% sold in a range of
about $3.10-3.25 per point. Lots of Blends with a high unit count
over 70 and with a meat yield of 44-50% sold in a range of about
$2.75-3.00 per point, while similar lots of lesser quality sold
in a range of about $2.40-2.83 per point. Lots under 37% sold in
a range of about $1.39-1.63 per point.
    Deliveries and purchase of lots in lot sizes over 20,000
pounds with appropriate unit count and purchased on a meat cost
basis, lots of Blends with a unit count under 70 and with a meat
yield of 44-52% sold in a range of about $3.00-3.34 per point.
Lots with meat yields of 40-43% sold in a range of about $2.90-3.00
per point. Lots with high unit counts over 70 sold in a range of
about $2.75-3.00 per point, lesser quality lower.

Prices paid to growers (from noon Tuesday, January 5, 2010 through
late afternoon Thursday, January 7, 2010) at buyers delivery point
or f.o.b. the orchard including direct sales to end users, cents
per pound in-shell of generally good quality in lots of 20,000
pounds or less unless otherwise stated. Most offerings are in the
form of Blends, very few lots of Improved varieties available.


Elliott yard tree lots of generally good quality 60-70 fair quality 50
Schley yard tree lots of generally good quality 60-70 fair quality 50
Seedling yard tree lots of generally good quality 50-70 fair quality
lower
Stuart yard tree lots of generally good quality 60-80 fair to poor
quality 50

Lots in excess of 20,000 pounds including trailer load lots:

Most sales are in the form of Blends, others are insufficient in number
to establish a market.

THE NEXT GEORGIA REPORT WILL BE ISSUED ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2010

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STAT News Service