Drought expected to impact pecan harvest

Last weekend's rain is a case of too little, too late where Fort Bend County's pecan crop is concerned. Severe drought conditions faced by much of Texas for months has killed pecan trees and is expected to result in a reduced and damaged crop when harvest gets under way this month. "China bought about 25 percent of the U.S. pecan crop last year, and they want even more this year," said Pete Pavlovsky, past president of Fort Bend County's Pecan and Citrus Committee. No tally exists on how many acres of pecan trees are in Fort Bend because production is not reported to the government, but the crop provides income for many. Local growers can range from families with a few pecan trees in their yard to producers who own more than 10,000 trees. While that may be bad news for consumers, its great for producers who have acres of irrigated pecan trees. The county's annual Pecan Show is set for Nov. 29, in the conference room of the Extension Office education building, 1402 Band Road in Rosenberg, with judging starting at 4 p.m. and awards presented at 6 p.m. Speakers at the event, which is open to the public, will address such topics as drought in the coming year and new varieties of pecans.