Tim's Pistachio Talk

Iran has been the #1 pistachio producing country in the world since as long as anyone can remember. But, at this writing California is set to overtake Iran as the world’s largest producer and distributor of pistachio nuts.   There are several reasons for this having to do both with California’s rise in the industry and trouble in the Iranian pistachio orchards. Iran normally produces in excess of 400 million pounds of pistachio nuts every year. In contrast, California, which produces 98% of the nuts grown in the US, had produced in the 300 million pound area only recently. This is due mainly to the fact that the pisctachio industry has only been viable in California since around 1976. Iran, on the other hand, has had a few thousand-years head start. Some horticultural historians date the Middle Eastern pistachio harvest back to 3000 BC! So the US (meaning California) is definitely the new kid on the block. Nevertheless, despite it’s late start, California has been coming on strong. Enter Mother Nature.
The 2008 pistachio harvest in Iran was a “disaster” any way you look at it. Production was down up to 75%. A killing frost was the main culprit.   California, on the other hand, had a record crop in 2007 and better than average in 2008. (Pistachios are harvested in autumn in both countries.) This allowed California to take the title as the world’s largest distributor of pistachios in the 2008/2009  year. The 2009 crop in California was a little less than expected, but Iran was again hit by bad winter weather and it’s crop is down as well. Current estimates of Iran’s 2009 crop put it at about 330 million pounds compared to 360 million pounds in California. It is pretty much neck and neck at this point who will be the leading distributor for 2009/2010 but so far it looks like California has the edge to be in the top spot for the second year in a row.  Long term, Iran still possess the ability to produce more, but the long range look definitely favors California. The last ten years have seen an enormous increase in the cultivation of new pistachio orchards in California. The amount of nut bearing acreage has nearly doubled in the last decade, while the non-bearing (not yet mature) acreage has more than tripled in the last five years and, over the same period of time, more acres have been newly planted than in the previous fifteen years. It is only a matter of time before these new trees begin to yield some serious harvests and California should take the lead for good.