Pistachios have always been a popular nut snack. Recently, due to factors such as production reductions and tight supply in major producing areas, pistachio prices have continued to rise on the market. What is the situation of the pistachio consumer market?
The retail price of pistachios continues to rise, and sales in some stores have dropped sharply.
A few days ago, reporters from the main station visited a number of nut retail stores and specialty stores in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and found that the unit price of pistachios sold in the stores had increased. A salesperson at a specialty store said that now you can buy 150 grams for 29.8 yuan, while in previous years you could buy the same weight for about 25 yuan.
In a roasted seed shop in Qiantang District, Hangzhou, customers come from time to time to choose roasted seeds and nuts, but not many people buy pistachios. Some consumers said that they spent 63 yuan on pistachios, which is less than a pound. In the past, a pound was only about 40 yuan.
According to the store owner, the store has two sizes of pistachios: large and extra-large, priced at 78 yuan and 88 yuan per catty respectively. Compared with the same period last year, prices have almost doubled and sales have dropped by about half. In previous years, he would usually stock up on goods before the peak season in September, but this year he has adjusted his purchasing pace and does not dare to accumulate too many goods.
Not only the sales side, suppliers also face cost pressure. Tang Renchao, general manager of Lin'an Shanxian Food Co., Ltd. in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, said that the company currently purchases pistachios from California. In previous years, the purchase price was 90 yuan to 100 yuan per kilogram, but now it has risen to 130 yuan to 140 yuan. According to feedback from overseas suppliers, because the supply in the production area has decreased by 40%, the purchase price has increased accordingly. Faced with subsequent stocking needs, companies have begun to contact suppliers from other origins to find additional supply sources.
Headquarters reporter visits Iran's main pistachio producing areas. High temperatures have led to production cuts and a sharp drop in supply to China.
my country's pistachios are highly dependent on imports, with the main sources coming from the United States and Iran. According to data released by the International Nut and Dried Fruit Association in June, the total global pistachio production in the 2026-2027 production season is expected to be approximately 701,000 tons, a 36% decrease from the previous season, and falling below one million tons for the first time in four years.
In Iran, the world's main pistachio-producing area, production has dropped significantly this year due to the dual pressures of continued drought and geopolitical conflicts. A reporter from the main station recently went to Iran's largest pistachio producing area and visited the local planting, production and processing conditions. It is reported that Iranian pistachios usually bloom from April to May and are mature and harvested from August to September.
Behruz Agha, chairman of the Iranian Pistachio Association, said that in the past two years, Iranian pistachios have encountered varying degrees of high temperatures during the flowering period and fruit growth period, causing damage to many fruit trees and affecting the annual harvest. "The extreme high temperature in April last year not only affected last year's harvest, but also affected this year's production. This is why Iran's pistachio production this year is only about 120,000 tons, and it should be 240,000 to 250,000 tons."
The shelf life of pistachios is very short, and the fresh fruits are usually sent to nearby factories for peeling, cleaning and processing. Depending on the size and appearance of the fruit, Iranian pistachios are divided into different sizes, ranging from 18 to 38 per ounce.
Yao Kailin, who is engaged in pistachio processing and international trade in Iran, told reporters that Iran has been an important source of supply to China's pistachio market in recent years. However, due to the natural adjustment period of fruit trees in Iran's pistachio growing areas, coupled with high temperature weather and the geopolitical impact of the Middle East, Iran's pistachio supply to China has dropped significantly this year.
In order to cope with the operating pressure brought by rising prices, some companies are no longer limited to the traditional purchase of finished nuts, but have adjusted their procurement strategies, such as directly purchasing in-shell pistachios, and then further processing to remove the nuts, so as to develop more advantageous prices and supply chains.
