Iran Nuclear Sanctions A Boon For California Pistachio Farmers

September 30, 2010 11:16 AM

Cluster of nuts from a pistachio tree grown at the University of California, Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier, California, photo on black (AP)

Reporting Melissa Culross

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A ban on Iranian pistachios that took effect this week could benefit California farmers, who already grow almost all of the world’s supply of the nut.

KCBS Melissa Culross Reporting:

Iran Nuclear Sanctions A Boon for California Pistachio Farmers

A previous ban spurred California farmers to start planting more pistachios, and the state quickly surpassed Iran as the world’s top pistachio supplier.

“Iran was the leading producer up until 2008, and that’s when California surpassed Iran’s production,” said Richard Matoian, executive director of the Western Pistachio Association.

The sanctions eliminate Iran as a domestic competitor, although Matoian expected some competition in countries that continue to do business with Iran. He noted that farmers here export 65 percent of the pistachios grown in California.

jimbe

That is great news for the local farmer.

thatWhoKnows

let’s just hope the local opportunist farmer doesnt invest too heavily on pistachio farming. i mean, in the short run it may seem like a good idea to switch some acreage to pistachios, but the embargo can’t last forever, and 1, 5, or even 10 years down the line when the ban is lifted, there will be lots of unhappy “locals”

i say “locals” because one of the prominent cities in california that produces pistachios is Kerman, which is one of the leading pistachio provinces in iran. you figure it out.

noddy

Iranian pistachio is the best in the world, they’ve been doing it for hundreds of years. The Californian pistachio is mass roasted and produced, there fore it it is overly done and brittle, in other words no good!
noddy

Iranian pistachio is the best in the world, they’ve been doing it for hundreds of years. The Californian pistachio is mass roasted and produced, therefore it is overly done and brittle, in other words no good!