Nut Talk

Iran remains world's leading pistachio producer in 2006

Following gas condensates and ironware, pistachio accounted for Iran's major non-oil exports in the past nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2006).
As a commercial output, pistachio product has a special importance in the agricultural production of some countries like Iran and contains large portion of their non-petroleum exportation. "Iran's share of pistachio export quantity of its non-oil exports in the recent years has hit something around 66 percent," ILNA news agency on Wednesday, quoted an official with Iran's Trade Promotion Organization as saying. Pistachio figures prominently among other nuts due to its nutritious value. Because of its high food value and favorable taste, planting pistachio trees has become common in other parts of the world.
According to the latest statistics released by the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) affiliated to the United Nations, the pistachio production in the world stood at 501,000 metric tons in 2005, Iran producing 38 percent of the world production ranked first during the year. The U.S. with a production of 28 percent, Syria with 12 percent, Turkey with 12 percent, China with seven percent, and Greece with two percent took other places after Iran.
Despite the fact that Iran ranks first in the world in terms of pistachio production, harvested area and exports, it does not enjoy such a high position in global marketing due to exporting challenges. Iranian pistachio is considered the best in the world in terms of its taste and flavor. Kerman Province is the main center of pistachio production in Iran.