Definitions of pistachios

Varieties: Pistachio varieties such as Ahmed Aghaei, Akbari
Ounce: the number of pistachio seeds in one ounce (one ounce = 28.35 grams)
Variety uniformity: The uniformity of pistachios in terms of variety
Size uniformity 1: ratio of 15% of the largest to 15% of the smallest
Size uniformity 2: the ratio of 5% of the largest to 5% of the smallest
Grade: weight percentage of pistachio kernels in 100 grams of pistachios with hard skin

Important varieties of pistachios

1- Ahmad Aghaei (Long Pistachio): It can be said that it is the tastiest and one of the most beautiful and is known as a luxury pistachio.
2- Akbari (Super Long): It is tasty and has a long appearance. It is known as a luxury pistachio and rich countries are always customers of this pistachio.
3- Jumbo: It is the largest type of pistachio. But the tree’s sensitivity is very high because it is early blooming and somewhat late.
4-Round Pistachio: It is cheaper and smaller and its weight is high. It is used for cakes and sweets.
5- Badami: This pistachio is available in the domestic market from 26 to 38 years, but it does not have a good export market, that is why we do not pay for it.

The difference between pistachio cultivars

Hazelnut: medium flower and early ripening.

It is a suitable variety for Iran and most of the cultivated area of Rafsanjan pistachio is dedicated to it. The height of the hazelnut tree is about three meters and it has a medium growth. Compared to other pistachio cultivars, it is resistant to pests and diseases, but it is sensitive to dehydration. Hazelnut pistachio variety is early flowering and may be frostbitten and damaged during spring cold weather. Hazelnut fruit belongs to the medium clay category and can be harvested in the middle of summer.

Kole Gochi: Early flowering and medium clay

This variety is sensitive to the lack of water and food and faces problems in their lack. This cultivar has a relatively low cold requirement and prefers a relatively warm climate. The pistachio head cultivar is early flowering and like the hazelnut cultivar, it is exposed to spring cold; In the years when the spring temperature is below zero, the head of the ram gets frostbite. This variety is medium clay and can be harvested in the middle of September. The second area under cultivation after the hazelnut variety of pistachio belongs to the variety of Kole Gochi pistachio.

Akbari: late bloomer.

Anas Pistachio Akbari has the lowest and highest price among pistachio cultivars. It has good resistance to salinity and dehydration. Akbari pistachio is one of the late-flowering and late-maturing pistachio cultivars of Iran; Therefore, it is more exposed to heatstroke. This variety of pistachio is very sensitive to common pistachio psyllium pest and in high psyllium population it suffers a lot of damage and leaves.

Ahmed Aghaei: late clay and medium flower

Ahmad Aghaei is one of the important pistachio cultivars of Iran; Its fruit is elongated and almond-shaped and has a white bony skin. Its yield is high and it has a long harvest. Ahmed Aghaei and Akbari varieties of pistachio varieties have the same spike length; But in Ahmed Aghaei variety, the cluster width is more. Ahmed Aghaei cultivar has less closed-mouthed and more open-mouthed fruits compared to Nuthud and Ram Kochi cultivars, and the bony skin of Ahmed Aghaei cultivar is whiter than most pistachio cultivars.

The difference of pistachio cultivars in terms of appearance

Hazelnut: 1. Two smiling sides: 2. Creamy bone skin. 3. Fresh red skin. 4. Size 1 to 1.5 cm 5. Small hazelnut appearance

Ram head: 1. both sides completely smiling 2 dark bony skin 3 dark red fresh skin 4. size 2 to 205 cm 5. The appearance of a large hazelnut

Akbari: 1. Both sides are completely smiling. 2. Dark cream bone skin. 3. Bright red fresh skin. 4. Size 2.5 to 3 cm. 5. Elongated almond shape

Ahmad Aghaei: 1. One smiling side, one half smiling side. 2. Bright bony skin 4. Creamy fresh skin 5. Medium almond appearance

Smiling pistachios shut their mouths and laughing water:

Smiling pistachios: In their natural state, pistachios whose shells have open mouths and the brain is clearly defined are called smiling pistachios.

Closed mouth: packages whose mouths are closed in their natural state.

Smiling water: Pistachio that is mechanically smiling.

The method of making pistachio juice laugh

One of the most common ways to make pistachios smile is to make them smile in water. In this method, pistachios are placed inside a pool or a special large container with cold water (about 4 degrees). The so-called mouthed pistachios are kept in cold water for a few hours, and then they are removed from the cold water and placed in front of the heaters that produce hot air to dry the pistachios. Due to the high temperature difference, the pistachio skin begins to open due to the shock caused by the opening of the pistachio and smiles artificially. In the pistachio boiling process, due to the infiltration of mostly dirty and unsanitary water under the pistachio’s strong skin, it creates a suitable substrate for the growth and development of all kinds of molds (mold that produces dangerous and carcinogenic aflatoxin), bacteria and microbes.

Distinguishing the smiling water pistachio from the common pistachio

In this method, choose a pistachio seed and with the pressure of your hand, try to mix the two white and firm pistachio skins so that the pistachio opening closes together and the pistachio core is hidden between the two pistachio skins. If you did this, but you did not succeed in closing the pistachio due to the size of the pistachio kernel, the pistachio you bought is of good quality, but if you succeeded in closing the smiling pistachio with mouth pressure, and due to the small size of the pistachio kernel, the pistachio kernel is between two skins. It was hidden, we must say that you were sold poor quality pistachios.

Pistachio products and their uses:
1- Pistachio powder Usage: ice cream, dessert, porridge
2- Toothed brain. Uses: brain curd, making cakes and pies
3- Pistachio nuts Usage: pistachio slices and sweets, yellow shell and chocolate
4- Whole brain, pistachio Uses: to prepare pistachio powder, tarot preparation
5- Pistachio slices. Uses: Baking, cooking

How to determine pistachio nuts:
1- In the first step, we weigh 142.5 grams of one type of pistachio
2- We divide into groups of 5
3- When we can no longer convert into groups of 5, we count the number of groups and determine the number of annas.

Classification of pistachios based on quality

First-class pistachios: completely smiling, large size, low size, hand-picked and unbroken, very market-friendly and suitable for luxury and special nuts.

Second grade pistachios: a combination of smiling and smiling pistachios, medium size, medium size, relatively good appearance and somewhat suitable for export. Suitable for use in the food industry workshop.

Types of pistachios in terms of quality:

Nutritional value of 100 grams of pistachios:

Total fat 45%: saturated fat 6 grams, polyunsaturated fat 14 grams, monounsaturated fat 24 grams

Total carbohydrates 28%: dietary fiber 10 grams, sugar 8 grams

20% protein

Other 7%: vitamins A, B, C, calcium, iron, magnesium

Factors affecting the price of pistachios:

Many factors affect the daily price of pistachio, but the most important of them is the type of pistachio in terms of quality (the difference between normal pistachio and hand-picked pistachio and Tochin) and the variety of pistachio (Ahmed Aghaei Fandghi, etc.). Naturally, first-class pistachios will be more expensive than other types in these two ways.

External factors affecting the price of pistachios:

The supply of Iran’s competitors: the increase in the amount of production in the United States and Turkey, which causes the growth of pistachio supply in the world and the decrease in the world price of pistachios, the improvement or weakening of relations with neighboring countries: the decrease in Iran’s relations with neighboring countries, which causes a decrease in the amount of exports and a drop in the price of pistachios inside. .

Chinese New Year: Chinese New Year, which is in February, increases the demand for pistachios, increases exports and increases the global price of pistachios.

Factors that affect the pistachio smile

1) The natural factors that affect pistachios are:

The yield of the tree per year: Often, in the years when the pistachio tree has less yield, the percentage of smiling pistachios is higher than in fruitful years, because at this time the tree has the necessary energy to produce more fruits. In low-load years, you can help increase the energy of the tree with proper nutrition and standard pruning

Type of pistachio: The percentage of smiling pistachios is different in each type; For example, the ram’s head variety has the highest percentage of smiling pistachios.

Soil salinity or EC: Soil salinity is one of the factors affecting pistachio’s lack of smile. In other words, an EC higher than 4000 is an effective factor on pistachio’s sweetness.

(2) Other factors that affect pistachio making are:

Late harvesting: Harvesting time is another factor affecting pistachio smiling and the longer this time is delayed, the more the brain grows and the pistachio becomes smiling.

How to harvest: If you can harvest pistachios in several stages, you can hope for this fruit to be as smiling as possible. In other words, first shake the branch so that the ripe pistachios fall and the unripe pistachios remain on the branch to grow, which is not possible in Iran! (due to insecurity and other limiting factors).

Adequate and appropriate watering: regular watering in the months of pistachio growth, May and June, affects the amount of pistachio bloom. To have a higher percentage of pistachios, pay more attention to irrigation near harvest.

Proper nutrition of the tree: the use of fertilizer at the right time and in the necessary and sufficient amount has a significant effect on the smiling of its fruit. Fertilizers containing manganese, copper and potassium have an effect on pistachio filling.

Pruning on time: Pruning makes extra leaves to be separated from the tree and more nutrients reach other branches and fruits.

Suitable elements for pistachio filling

1- Nitrogen: It should be used in July because it is the time to fill the brain. (50 kg per hectare is needed.)

2-Potassium: It is the key to brain efficiency. (in the form of solvotest with water in 2 steps)

3- Foliar spraying, manganese, iron and zinc: it is needed to reduce porosity.

Note: During nut filling, there is a high possibility of sprouts falling, and it should be prevented with proper nutrition. Ahmed Aghaei variety has the highest fall.

Tips before harvesting

Irrigation plays a very important role in September (it should be done according to the leaf test taken in July).

The use of nitrogen plays a very important role in making pistachios smile.

Foliar spraying of high potash fertilizers, sulpotas and potassium nitrate has a very good performance. (It should be taken into account that excessive foliar spraying causes the increase of aflactocin, and also we should not be indifferent to pests, especially psyllid, because it causes defoliation.)

Irrigation before harvest:

The most sensitive steps for hydration:

1- Flowering stage: In April, proper irrigation is needed, which is done after dusting.

2- Fruit formation: the end of April increases the number of seeds.

3- Pistachio filling: It is done in July.

4- Pistachio ripening: It is done in late August and early September.

Additional points of irrigation: In summer, close watering is needed, for example, in July and August, it is needed once every 20 to 30 days. Watering should be done regularly so as not to shock the tree. For a good product, a minimum of 3500 and a maximum of 9000 cubic meters of water are needed per year.

Important tips for storing pistachios

1- To store pistachios, they must be away from moisture and pollution.

2- You should not store undried pistachios because they spoil.

3- The warehouse needs ventilation, and the ventilation must have a net and a safety window.

4- After every emptying of the warehouse, it should be disinfected.

5-Pistachios should not be placed on the floor or near the wall.

The most important diseases

1- Gomoz disease 2- Decay and reticillosis 3- Leftover 4- Pistachio black spot 5- Leaf spot 6- Head drying 7- Toxin-producing molds – 8- Blight (flower and branch wilting)

The most important pests

1- Age pests 2- Psyllium 3- Carob sap 4- Wood-eating moth – 5 Nut-eating bee (black and yellow) 6- Chain or dry sap – 7- Snail – 8- Susco – 9- Ring-eating beetle 10 – Crash skin eater

Psyllium: the most important pistachio pest. By indiscriminate spraying we make it resistant and we should not try to eradicate the insects and we should control it.

Warehouse pests:

The most important pests are carob and Indian weevils that lay eggs on the crop. In order to prevent carob weevil pest, the storage temperature should be 9°C. Its most important hosts are pomegranates and figs, which should not be around.

In order to prevent Indian pest, the storage temperature should be 13°C. Indian nightshade has 83 different hosts, which causes a decrease in the quality of the product.

Pistachios throughout the year:

April: accumulation of buds and millet grains

April: spraying with foliar spray

June: potash fertilizer

July and August: fertilisers, soil testing

September: Liquid fish fertilizer

Mehr: Harvest

November and Azar: animal fertilizers and water and soil testing

January and February: burnt animal manure

March: the key month of nutrition, amino acid and nitrogen

Pistachios in business

The pistachio market in Iran and the world is a competitive free market.

The price changes based on the demand abroad, domestically as well.

It is mostly exported in the form of raw materials, but it should be considered because it is not necessary except for the materials. As an exporter, we must have a constant supply.

Autumn is the prosperous season and spring and summer are the less prosperous seasons of the year.

Most pistachio exports are raw and are processed, roasted and packed in the destination countries. Another reason is the huge tariff difference between raw and processed pistachios, for example, the import tariff for raw pistachios in the European Union is 1.6% and for roasted pistachios is 35%.

Eastern market is a very important market in price determination.

It should also be kept in mind that different tests on pistachios are needed for export and each country has its own rules.

American Pistachio (UCB):

American pistachio variety is Kerman. at the University of California and it was created from Iranian female pistachio and Chinese male pistachio. America has started planting in the state of California since 1354 and harvesting since 1356. After this important event, the import tariff of Iranian pistachios to America was increased to 90% and later to 320%, while America was the most important destination for Iranian pistachios for 40 years.

The American pistachio has a trunk of 1-2 meters, for this reason, planting, planting and harvesting can be done completely industrially, and the harvest season is different in America, but the variety of cultivars in America is very small. The production cost is reported to be $4 for a hectare that produces 3.5 tons.

The difference between Iranian and American pistachios:

First of all, we should know that Iranian and American pistachios are completely different from each other.

Iranian market is a retail market. The large number of producers and exporters makes 90% of the profit reach the gardener and the exporter’s profit is low.

Also, due to the sick economy, the contracts are momentary and short-term.

Pistachios are traditionally produced and irrigated in Iran.

One of the advantages of Iranian pistachio is its taste and variety, and due to the high unsaturated oil, it does not burn when the pistachio kernel is roasted.

The Far East, which is a price-oriented market, and Europe, the Middle East, and India can be mentioned as Iran’s customers. Indian market is a diversified market and they buy both cheap and expensive pistachios. Iran Pistachio Export Company under the brands of Aria and Apadana was the first exporter of Iranian pistachios to Europe and started its activity in Germany and France due to lack of competitors and high quality.

Unlike Iran, in America, which is the largest exporter of pistachios, the contracts are long-term and with high volumes. Wonderful company is known as the largest producer and exporter of pistachios in America. America supplies almost 60% of pistachios and it can be said that this company determines the price. The Middle East market for America is growing due to stability and uniform quality. Europe, Japan, Canada and Australia are other important customers of America.