Lowered tariffs on pecans could help Georgia growers

TIFTON, Ga. (WALB) - The Republic of India announced a major 70% cut to tariffs on U.S. pecan exports. Experts are saying these cutbacks are a big relief for Georgia pecan growers.

Georgia produces about one-third of all American pecans. With India lowering its tariffs on imported pecans from 100% to 30%, it gives pecan farmers a huge financial relief.

When pecan farmers ship products to another country, that country will demand a tariff fee to bring those products into their country. Jamie Allison, of G&G Pecan Farm, says he believes now is a bad time to have a lower price on the nuts.

“A few years ago it was a pretty big thing to ship pecans to China and all the other countries, which demanded a higher price, and now the price have been driven down. But on the same hand, the cost of fertilizer, and diesel fuel, and everything it takes to grow them is sky high,” Allison said.

Dr. Lenny Wells, a pecan extension specialist at UGA, says pecans are in high demand for the Indian market. He says for the past 10 to 15 years, there has been a lot of moving parts to bring awareness to the cost. Now it’s finally happening.

“There’s been a lot of work put into that as well as the shellers and the entire industry as a whole to try to get that Tariff down., the tariff has dropped to 30 % that’s been a big help for growers it’ll allow us to move pecans into India.” Dr. Wells said.

Allison says his company is on the retail side of things as well as the grower side as well, so the changes to the tariff fee does impact the business directly.

“We’ve seen lower prices as far as selling them straight out of the orchid and it’s harder to retail them because you got so many more people doing it but as far as like the equipment bagging and shelling for other people has jumped up because there are so many more people wanting to retail” Allison added.

He encourages the community to just buy locally. He says everyone wins when you keep the cash flow in your own town.

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