M. Shahbandeh
Research expert covering agriculture & FMCG
Pistachios are one of the most versatile and distinctive varieties of nuts; with a unique flavor and color that goes well with cakes, pastries, ice cream, and a variety of savory dishes. In 2022/23, the global production of pistachios amounted to over 747 thousand metric tons. Although pistachios originate from Central Asia, the United States produced over half of the world’s pistachios, more than any other country. However, the country with the largest harvested area of pistachios worldwide in 2021 was Turkey, with just under 390 thousand hectares of pistachio trees, compared to just about 165.5 thousand hectares harvested in the United States. The gross production value of pistachios worldwide amounted to about six billion U.S. dollars in 2022/23.
U.S pistachio market
The value of pistachios grown in the United States has more than quadrupled since 2000. The production volume of pistachios in the United States reached a maximum in 2021/22 at around 524 thousand metric tons. The pistachio prices are also known to fluctuate. The production price of pistachios in the United States saw a steep increase between 2017 and 2018, before decreasing to around 2.14 U.S. dollars per pound in 2022.U.S. pistachio trade
As the top producer of pistachios in the world, the United States is also the top exporter of pistachios. In 2022, the United States exported over 1.6 billion U.S. dollars’ worth of pistachios; significantly more that any other country. The country that buys the most foreign pistachios in that year was the European Union, followed by China. The majority of the pistachios exported from the United States were fresh or dried, rather than preserved or prepared.Global pistachio consumption
Consumption of pistachios in 2021/22 amounted to about 763.4 thousand metric tons, which came to about 0.11 kilograms per person worldwide. Americans consume many more pistachios than the global average, at around 0.7 pounds on average in 2021/22, up from 0.6 pounds in the previous year.
