New Mexico led nation in pecan, chile production in 2019, despite early freeze

New Mexico’s iconic chile peppers and pecans continued to the lead the nation in production last year, despite challenges from unseasonably cold weather bringing on shorter harvesting seasons.

The latest data from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture released Dec. 10 showed slight declines in production for both crops last year, even as the state maintained its spot as the top producer of both in the U.S.

In total, New Mexico’s agriculture industry was valued at $3.44 billion, records show, a 7.6 percent growth from 2018.

More:New Mexico top pecan producer in U.S., despite early fall freeze; Georgia rebuilds crop

New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte said the 2019 Agriculture Statistics Bulletin showed the industry’s continued economic impact and benefit to the state and its ability to evolve with changes in weather including a year of devastating drought and an unseasonably cold fall which saw a mid-October freeze that affected both of New Mexico’s top crops.

The state was led in production of pecans and chile in Doña Ana County, which also led in cotton production and total crop cash receipts.

Curry County led the state in livestock cash receipts, followed by Chaves County.

More:Pecan licensing gains support from New Mexico lawmakers

“The ag stats bulletin not only reveals the impact of crops, livestock, farms and commodities,” Witte said. “It also reflects the importance of the growing value-added agriculture industry in our state.

“When you see the numbers in this publication, you realize the impact of agriculture in New Mexico. The bottom line is that agriculturalists are resilient. They work through adversity to bring food to the plates of all New Mexicans, and they constantly seek new opportunities to connect directly to consumers.”

Pecans see decline, but New Mexico reigns supreme

New Mexico first took the top spot in pecan production from Georgia in 2018, after Hurricane Michael devastated Georgia’s production – destroying and uprooting thousands of trees.

More:Orchard invasion: Pecan weevil threatens to upend New Mexico's $180M industry

At the time, experts said it could take years to replace the damaged trees, as pecan trees can take up to 10 years to become productive after they are planted.

While Georgia’s crop dwindled in 2018, New Mexico produced about 91 million pounds of the nut for the largest crop in the country.

In 2019, the final statistics showed New Mexico produced 87 million pounds, down about 4 million pounds from the year prior, providing a value of $165.1 million.

More:New Mexico pecan buyers must apply for license

Georgia was second with about 67.3 million pounds, followed by Texas at 41 million pounds and Arizona at 38 million pounds.

Doña Ana County led the state in Pecan production with about 63.3 million pounds.

Greg Daviet, manager of Dixie Ranch in the Mesilla Valley and past president of the Doña Ana County Farm Bureau attributed the drop to a shorter harvest brought on by a freeze at the end of October.

But he said New Mexico’s pecan industry continued to provide a strong crop due to the state’s climate, available land, and strategic use of its water supplies.

More:Drought persists in New Mexico, imperiling farmers and ranchers in the southeast

Meanwhile, demand for the nut continued an upward trend, Daviet said, as more people shifted their diets to include more fruits and nuts and producers sought to capitalize.

“New Mexico’s natural resources continue to make it a valuable production area for pecans,” he said. “Pecans require the proper number of frost-free days and temperatures that are not too high. They also require the proper amount of irrigation water.”

The biggest factor in pecan growth is one of New Mexico’s scarcest natural resources, Daviet said. He said the state has an abundance of land to grow the nut, and seasonally warm weather and sunlight needed for strong production.

“Pecans are a natural fit for our water. Water is always a limiting factor in the desert,” Daviet said. “Land is not a limiting factor. Sunlight is not a limiting factor. It’s water. So, you have to use it in the most beneficial way.”

More:Pumping in Pecos River to offset losses for Carlsbad-area water users amid extreme drought

But the biggest factor that impacted this year’s crop was the cold.

Daviet said temperatures dropped as low as 15 degrees on his farm in October before trees were still dormant.

The impact of that unseasonable freeze could still be felt in this year’s crop, he said.

“That had an impact on our production in 2019, and I think it may have an even bigger impact in 2020,” Daviet said. “Pecan trees have a memory. Things that happen to them last year will be remembered.”

More:Eddy, Lincoln, Otero counties included in disaster designation

But even with the recent climate impacts and declines in production, Daviet said he expected the pecan industry to continue its trend of growth in the western U.S. and decline in the east, as consumer demand increases, and desert regions emerge as more economical for increased production.

“They’re economical to grow in New Mexico because of our climate and water resources,” he said. “The growth of the pecan industry is a cropping pattern.”

Chile struggles with cold weather, adapts to consumer trends

Abnormally cold weather and an early snowfall imperiled New Mexico’s chile crop, and the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing requirements led to few stores hosting the famed and popular outdoor roasting events.

More:Green chile season opens in Carlsbad, grocers begin roasting

The roastings would see long lines of New Mexico’s waiting eagerly outside of grocery stores throughout the state, anxious to get their hands on large boxes of the peppers, pre-roasted and ready for to eat or store for the winter.

Demand for the pepper, one of New Mexico’s most iconic foods and ingredients in myriad traditional dishes, continued to rise on a national level, said Preston Mitchell, owner of the Hatch Chile Store in the Hatch Valley in southwest New Mexico.

And an adjustment from sellers to move more small bags of the pepper, he said, could boost the industry in the future by introducing more casual or first-time consumers to the pepper.

More:Carlsbad's recent rainfall offers little respite from extreme drought

New Mexico’s chile crop in 2019 was 63,075 tons, down from 71,100 tons in 2018, records show, for a value estimated at $50 million compared with $53.8 million in 2018.

“It was an interesting year,” Mitchell said. “It wasn’t a really good year. We’re seeing demand skyrocket, but the weather played a big part. We had some really cold nights, that impacted people’s production. We don’t see demand going anywhere. As long as demand stays where strong, we’ll see it continue to grow.”

Unseasonable snow fall in late October and early November cut the chile season by weeks, Mitchell said, meaning lower production.

More:ISC: Intrepid water rights could make or break Pecos River settlement agreement

And the COVID-19 crisis led to less bulk sales, as customers opted to buy smaller quantities for home roasting.

“We see that as a long-term win,” He said. “You can put it in a format that’s not as threatening for people to get and they can see how good it is. We did see a major shift in how chile was sold.”

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.