Did you know?

  • During the 1880s, imported pistachios were popular in the USA, especially with Middle Eastern immigrants. The pistachio received further distribution through vending machines installed in underground train stations, bars, restaurants and other common locations. “A dozen for a nickel” soon developed into a familiar slogan.
  • It was recognized that California’s Central Valley – due to its fertile soil, hot, dry climate and moderately cold winters – offered the ideal growing conditions for the nut.
  • In 1929, American botanist William E. Whitehouse journeyed to Persia (modern day Iran) to collect pistachios. This pursuit came to a close in 1930, when he returned to the USA with a collection of approximately 20 pounds (10 kilograms) of individually selected nuts.
  •  Pistachios are wind pollinated, as opposed to bee pollinated. Just one male tree is required to pollinate up to 30 female trees.
  • Pistachio trees take seven to 10 years to mature
  • From its first commercial crop in 1976 of 1.5 million pounds (680 tons) to the record 2007 crop of over 415 million pounds (188,241 metric tons), success has built upon success.
  • This increase in total crop has been mirrored by increasing production per acre, from 1,468 pounds per acre in 1982 to over 3,615 pounds per acre in 2007.
  • California comprises 98.5% of the total with over 250,000 acres planted throughout 22 counties.
  • There are 850 producers in the United States and the annual “farm gate value”* of pistachios represents more than $1.16 billion to the California economy

For more info visit American Pistachio Growers- http://americanpistachios.org/

 

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