The deputy head of the board of trustees of Iran Pistachio Association has announced a significant increase in pistachio exports in the second half of last year.
A 40 percent surge in pistachio exports has returned Iran to its global position, Jalil Karbakhsh-Ravari told IRNA on Tuesday.
He acknowledged that the pistachio consumption in Dubai chocolate industry had increased the demand but said that the supply to the United Arab Emirates has not had much of an impact, in terms of value, on the country's exports.
“Currently, the amount of Dubai chocolate production is not enough to lead to a 40 percent increase in Iranian pistachio demand,” he added.
Karbakhsh-Ravari attributed the rise in pistachio production and supply to the decrease in American pistachio export, explaining that high global demand due to the reduction of American products pushed the market towards Iran.
China, India, and the UAE, according to him, are other markets that helped the Iranian pistachio export to grow last year.
Regarding the production, Karbakhsh-Ravari said that pistachios are being harvested in 27 provinces, with Kerman, Khorasan Razavi, South Khorasan, North Khorasan, Semnan, and Yazd being main producers.