The pistachios were brought to California around 1854. In the 1930s a team of American experts – botanists started to look for the best material in Iran suitable for cultivation and subsequent growing in the same conditions as those in Iran.
The first commercial crop was not harvested until 1976. Plantings have increased sharply in the three major production areas, Iran, California and Turkey. Since 1985 pistachio production has been initiated in China, Argentina, Australia and South Africa.
California grew slowly as a producer, exporting its first crop only in 1976. Thereafter California emerged as the behemoth in the pistachio industry becoming in 2007 either the first or second exporter, vying with Iran.
California pistachio producers established a marketing agreement in February 2005 which sets standards and requires testing for quality and for aflatoxin levels.
As is true of American agriculture in general, pistachio production is a technologically and capital-intensive industry. Because of cost a single grower is unlikely to own an orchard.
Pistachio industry in United States
