SAN ANTONIO – When Betty Carpenter bakes her special chocolate-pecan Thanksgiving pie, it will be a bit richer this year.
"Got to have pecans," she said undaunted by the higher price tags.
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Pecan prices are at record highs because the drought and huge demand from Chinese markets have cut into supplies.
Pape's Pecan House supplies about 10 percent of Texas' pecan yield. This year, manager John Pape said price increases could not be avoided.
"They're considerably higher than last year, anywhere from 50 cents to a dollar from last year's prices," Pape said.
Still in the shell, fresh pecans are selling for $3.50 to $4.50 retail. A 1-pound package of shelled pecans is now $11, up from $7 just three years ago.
Prices have gone nutty after the deep drought dried up nearly half of the Texas pecan crop.
"I've not seen a time when we've had drought this bad," Pape said.
Texas is a top pecan-producing state. In a good year, Guadalupe Co. grows about 3 million pounds, but this year will turn out only 1 million pounds.
Although the crop is smaller, Pape says the quality is excellent.
The other factor driving prices is the continued huge demand for pecans from China. China now buys about one-fifth of the pecans harvested in the U.S.
"So between the drought and not having a big crop and China, that has really drove the market up," Pape said. "The price of pecans is going to go sky-high. So, whatever you can get, enjoy."
Marsha Streng was doing just that. Despite having to shell out more money, she bought 20 pounds at Pape's Pecan House.
"It's like coffee and wine," she said. "You got to have it."