Tehran, Iran, Oct. 12
Trend
Close to 50,000 tons of pistachios were produced during the first six months of current Iranian year that started on March 21, marking a decline of 200,000 tons compared to last year’s production, an official said.
The decrease is due to extreme cold and hot temperatures experienced by pistachio orchards this year as well as recent fluctuations in the foreign exchange market, Mohammad Ali Mohammad Mirzaeian, the head of Kerman Chamber of Commerce, added, Mehr News Agency reported on October 12.
Noting that the US has produced 440,000 tons of pistachio this year, he said Iran could only export 40,000 tons this year.
Iran and the US account for 85 percent of the global production of pistachio (dry in-shell basis), according to Iran Pistachio Association.
In the past years, the country had managed to oust the US as the leading producer of pistachio nuts and reclaimed the position which it has long held to its credit.
However, it seems that Iran is losing its global position due to cold and hot temperatures as well as new US sanctions against Tehran.
Back in May, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), despite objections from other signatories of the accord.
In August, Washington re-imposed the first round of anti-Iran sanctions it had lifted under the JCPOA. The second phase of US bans will come into effect next month.