American pecans logo
Interested in recipes, nutrition, or research? Visit eatpecans.com
Shop pecans
Monthly US Pecan Market Analysis

Monthly U.S. pecan market analysis

Each month, the American Pecan Council shares the U.S. Pecan Market Analysis, an independent report prepared by an outside agricultural economist. The analysis combines APC handler data, USDA statistics, and international trade information to provide a holistic picture of current pecan market conditions.

Analysys Report

Fresh updates, every month

Below reflects the most recent U.S. Pecan Market Analysis findings and is updated with every new release. The findings below are summarized from the executive summary within the analysis, also found in our ongoing video overview series. Download the analysis, watch the video, and visit this page monthly to stay up-to-date on the latest market trends.

U.S. pecan market analysis: data through May

Brief analysis overview

Having reached the height of summer, the focus in the data begins to turn away from supply and toward demand. May is typically the first month where stocks begin to be drawn down in earnest, and this May was no exception: handler reported receipts were just 12.8 million lbs. and total handler reported inventories declined by 4% compared to the month prior. Even as the U.S. has eclipsed its peak month of supply, demand does not appear overly impressive. Domestic shipments reported by handlers trailed prior year levels by 13%, a trend mirrored by the domestic utilization calculation, which showed a 5% decline in May. Still, the dearth of imported pecans is keeping the overall market balance relatively tight. For the fourth consecutive month, the U.S. has enjoyed a trade surplus in pecans. As such, even as there are more pecans in inventory this season compared to the year prior, the total is still squarely in line with the five-year average.

Download the full analysis
Handler Receipts - May

Receipts up 10% in May

Handler reported receipts increased 10% year-over-year, but given that May is a low month for total receipts, that equated to a gain of just 1.2 million lbs. Still, examining the marketing year as a whole, a month of increased receipts does mean that season-to-date volumes are now tracking 3.7% above the 5-year average (11.0 million lbs.) and 6.2% above the 2024/25 season (17.7 million lbs.).


Shelled stocks rise as total inventories draw down

While both USDA and APC's handler survey showed a month-to-month drawdown in total pecan inventories, shelled inventories have been rising. USDA reported shelled inventories in May rose 2.8% above last year (1.3 million lbs.), while handlers reported a 6.2% increase in shelled inventories compared to the month prior, or 3.2 million lbs.


Pecan Handler Reported Inventories - May
Pecan Domestic Utilization - May 2026

Retail sales confirm a slower start to 2026

Domestic shipments reported by handlers trailed prior year levels by 13% in May, a trend mirrored by the domestic utilization calculation, which showed a 5% decline. Based on point-of-sale data from Circana, U.S. pecan sales at retail confirm the slower domestic sales so far in calendar year 2026. Nearly halfway through CY2026, retail sales are trailing 2025 by 2.9%, a difference of 0.9 million lbs. on a shelled basis. See our Graph of the Month page for more insights.

Export value holds steady as volume softens

Despite a fourth consecutive month of a trade surplus, U.S. pecan exports to the Gulf Cooperation Council fell by 76% year-over-year in May, a decline of 434,182 lbs. While softer demand from the Middle East weighed on total export volume, the value of those exports held steady thanks to a 14% increase in the price of shelled pecans.

Pecan Export Prices Graph - May 2026

Get the full picture

This overview highlights the month's key findings. Download the complete U.S. Pecan Market Analysis for the full data breakdown, graph by graph, section by section.

Download the full analysis