Georgia pecan growers have had great success exporting their nut to far off places including China, Turkey and Dubai. But the next big market the industry is trying to crack is proving difficult.
India could be as big a market as China, they say, but the high tariff it imposes on pecans threatens to stifle sales. The industry has enlisted the help of officials in Washington to press its case.
With its large population and rising middle class, India offers the prospect of a large new market for pecan growers.
That is important because the pecan industry relies heavily on exports. About one-third of total U.S. production is bought by China alone.
Georgia growers have been planting thousands of pecan trees in recent years, anticipating the growth in exports. But there is risk to the strategy, as importing countries could turn to other nations to get their nut fix if U.S. pecans are deemed too pricey.
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