Predicting a 15% increase in pistachio production in Iran
The director general of the cold and dry fruits office of the Ministry of Jihad for Agriculture predicted: 280 to 30 thousand tons of pistachios will be produced in the country this year, which shows an increase of about 15% compared to last year’s production.
Engineer Ali Akbar Yasmieh added: The estimated production of pistachios in 2006 was 250,000 tons. He mentioned the favorable climatic conditions, increasing the levels of fertile orchards, training and raising the awareness of users and improving and managing the production and use of commercial cultivars as the reasons for increasing pistachio production.
Engineer Yasmieh stated that the average yield of pistachio production in Iran is less than one ton per hectare: the production record of 10 tons and 596 kg in lands above 10 hectares and the production record of 12 tons and 654 kg in lands of 5 to 10 hectares shows the capacity. The country is to increase the yield of this product in other orchards.
The official further announced that the export of pistachios in 1385 was 171 thousand tons worth 1 billion and 68 million dollars.
According to him, 78 countries bought Iranian pistachios last year. Engineer Yasmieh, stating that currently one thousand mechanized and semi-mechanized processing units of pistachios are active in the country, said: the capacity of these processing units is more than the production capacity of pistachios.
At the same time, he considered it necessary to improve the quality of pistachio processing units and emphasized the observance of national and international requirements and standards in order to develop the export of this product.