Pecan nut profits: well worth the wait!

Growing pecan nuts requires long-term commitment. Dries Duvenhage of Hartswater in the Northern Cape planted his first hectare of pecans 16 years ago and patiently waited for the return on his investment.

In 2000, Dries Duvenhage decided to plant 1ha of pecan nuts on his 125ha farm Terre Donne, loosely translated from French as ‘healthy earth’. It was a bold move, as pecan trees begin yielding an economically significant crop only from eight years onwards. Since then, Dries has expanded his orchard, and today Terre Donne has nearly 75ha planted to pecans. He is also a partner in the company Nensis Nuts. Between his own farming operation and Nensis Nuts, he manages the production of about 150t of pecan kernels per season.

“To farm pecan nuts is a challenge because it takes about eight years to see a return on your investment. You must have a cash crop or alternative source of income to see you through in the meantime,” cautions Dries.