KAUZ-TV: NewsChannel 6 Now | Wichita Falls, TXPecan Harvest Down

"This is the one time I've seen it in my lifetime.  I hope I never see it again," says Jake Montz.

Montz is manager of the family orchards, he says harsh weather has made for a tough year for the pecan business.   

"The biggest effect the drought had was on our non-irrigated varieties.  We have some older orchards that don't have irrigation on them.  We actually lost trees in some of those orchards," says Montz.

Smaller in size, and some suffering from underdevelopment, the lack of water and a freeze, Jake says, hit their land in April and that was what hurt their trees.  This year has come as a surprise for a business that usually produces one million pounds of pecans.  "The pecan production is way off, its down about 10-15 % of what it normally would be," Montz says. 

This is greatly effecting their normal wholesale business.

"We sell to other people who have retail outlets.  This year we've had to tell them sorry, you're going to have to look somewhere else.  We just don't have enough supply," he says. 

Wholesale is not the only place affected by the weather.  The family sells their pecan products locally and even their store has seen some changes.   

"The price has gone up from last year.  Last year pecans were retailing for about $8.50 per lbs and this year they are retailing for $9.95," says Jill Montz, manager of the Pecan Shed.

Even with a wholesale shortage and price increases, the family says their store in town is still as busy as ever.

"The pecans are beautiful, they taste good and that's all our customers want to know," she says. 

Taelor Rian, Newschannel 6.