OMA A
1. Pecan Growers (PG) --- get high price when the crop is scarce
2. In high yield years -- PG hold back (refrigerate ) hoping for high prices in future. They can refrigerate for one or two years
3. This year pecan crop was smallest in last 5 years (this means the actual harvest was small .. not that the growers are hiding)
4. Nonetheless((Now even when they have small harvest)) , It is quite possible that the portion will be held back
a. Since the last two years yield were record breaking (which the growers might have refrigerated and which they need to sell now as the crop can be refrigerated for a couple of years).. the growers will held back the new crop and refrigerate it
BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course
Redeem
Featured Course
Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand
Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.
- 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
- 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
- 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
- 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
- 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
- TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
- 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
- OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
- Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
- MBA Admissions Consulting now available
- 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
- 200,000+ students served
- 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★
5.0
(559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start
then $127/mo
og13: Pecan growers get a high price for their crop
Source: Beat The GMAT — Critical Reasoning |
-
Birottam Dutta
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 342
- Thanked: 214 times
- GMAT Score:740
A is the correct answer.
B talks of quality of the pecan crop but that is not the issue, issue is of price being governed by demand and supply.
C again is not a correct completion to the para because if the crop has not been subject to fluctuation, that is not the reason to hold back the crop.
D is irrelevant talking of some of the crop growers.
E is going against the argument stem so cannot be an appropriate conclusion.
Hence, A!
B talks of quality of the pecan crop but that is not the issue, issue is of price being governed by demand and supply.
C again is not a correct completion to the para because if the crop has not been subject to fluctuation, that is not the reason to hold back the crop.
D is irrelevant talking of some of the crop growers.
E is going against the argument stem so cannot be an appropriate conclusion.
Hence, A!
Folks please check this out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7p56NzAVKc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7p56NzAVKc
This is a good question.
I think we need to notice the following gap on which this question hinges:
"pecans are abundant" ~ "high-yield years"
It is true that in "high-yield years", pecans should be abundant.
But what about the reversed direction? Is it NECESSARILY TRUE that in low-yield years pecans are not abundant?
No. Because the available pecans may come from the reserves, as agarwalva noted "They can refrigerate for one or two years".
I think we need to notice the following gap on which this question hinges:
"pecans are abundant" ~ "high-yield years"
It is true that in "high-yield years", pecans should be abundant.
But what about the reversed direction? Is it NECESSARILY TRUE that in low-yield years pecans are not abundant?
No. Because the available pecans may come from the reserves, as agarwalva noted "They can refrigerate for one or two years".
-
GMATGuruNY
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 15539
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 13060 times
- GMAT Score:790
Answer choice A: each of the last two years produced RECORD-BREAKING YIELDS.Prices drop when pecans are ABUNDANT.
Thus, in high-yield years, growers often HOLD BACK part of their crop, hoping for higher prices in the future.
This year's crop was the smallest in five years.
It is nonetheless quite possible that a portion of this year's crop will be held back, since _________________.
In other words, despite the small yield this year, pecans are still ABUNDANT.
Thus, in order to prevent a drop in price, growers are likely to HOLD BACK part of their crop.
The correct answer is A.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Hi Mitch,
Can you please help me understand the structure of the stimulus. I know that the last sentence "portion of this year's crop will be held back" is the conclusion. But what role does "Thus, in high yield year, growers often hold back part of their crop...." play in the argument? I got confused with "Thus" in the starting and though it might be the conclusion.
Can you please help me understand the structure of the stimulus. I know that the last sentence "portion of this year's crop will be held back" is the conclusion. But what role does "Thus, in high yield year, growers often hold back part of their crop...." play in the argument? I got confused with "Thus" in the starting and though it might be the conclusion.
Answer choice A - correctly represents the flow of thought. The reason for holding crops initally is the main pointer IMHO
