From April 16 to 19, the 19th Nuts and Dried Fruit Food Exhibition and Sourcing Summit was held in Hefei, Anhui province.

This year’s event brought together more than 2,500 high-quality exhibitors from around the world and attracted over 120,000 visits from domestic and international buyers, distributors, agents and industry professionals. It is widely recognized as the annual barometer for the global nuts and dried fruits industry.

During a roundtable discussion, Cobus van Rensburg, general manager of the South African Pecan Nut Producers Association [3], delivered a comprehensive analysis of the new season’s production and export outlook for pecans from South Africa [4]. Notably, he also led a delegation of around 30 industry representatives to attend the summit, underscoring the sector’s strong commitment to the Chinese market and its intention to further explore growth opportunities.

Van Rensburg noted that South Africa’s pecan industry is developing steadily, with new orchards coming into production each year. The country’s total planting area has now reached 57,000 hectares and continues to expand. This growth comes at a time when global pecan production [5] is slowing and, in some regions, even declining.

From 2021 to 2025, South Africa’s output increased from 19,000 metric tons to 50,000 metric tons, raising its share of global production from 7% to 16%. This increase has positioned the country as a reliable supplier of high-quality pecans to the global market, particularly to China.

Over the past four seasons, 90% of South Africa’s export volume achieved a kernel yield of over 55%, reflecting the product’s outstanding quality. In terms of sizing, the country primarily supplies three grades: large, extra-large and oversize.

Looking ahead to the 2026 season, van Rensburg expects production to range between 50,300 and 55,600 metric tons. Current conditions indicate strong seasonal momentum, with particularly promising performance from the Wichita and Choctaw varieties. However, challenges remain significant, particularly the sharp rise in input costs.

Pecan crops typically have relatively low yields per unit area and a long maturation period, resulting in production costs that are approximately two to three times higher compared with other tree nuts. Despite this, South African producers remain committed to improving efficiency, maintaining quality and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Van Rensburg pointed out that China remains the most important market. In 2025, China’s pecan production is estimated at around 6,000 metric tons, mainly concentrated in Yunnan, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, which is far from sufficient to meet its strong market demand.

In the same year, South Africa exported approximately 48,000 metric tons of in-shell pecans to China. From an import trend perspective, China’s annual in-shell pecan imports peaked in 2021 and 2024 at about 70,600 metric tons and 69,500 metric tons, respectively. Although imports declined to around 50,700 metric tons in 2025, they remain at a relatively high level.

Industry data suggest strong consumer awareness and engagement with pecans in China: in first- and second-tier cities, 90% of consumers know of pecans, 62% have purchased them and 21% are considered loyal buyers. There has also been a noticeable shift from in-shell snacks to kernel-based products, particularly those with creamy and salted flavors.

According to van Rensburg, these trends underscore the considerable untapped potential in the market. Specific opportunities include developing new pecan-related products, strengthening promotion through retail and social media channels, and educating consumers on the health benefits of pecans. In this context, the South African pecan industry plans to collaborate with Chinese companies to authorize the use of the “Pecans from South Africa” logo. Van Rensburg believes that, through joint efforts across the industry, pecans can move beyond being a seasonal product to become a regular part of consumers’ everyday diets.

Images: South African Pecan Nut Producers Association (main image), © 2026 Produce Report (body images one and two)