Pistachio production in California has seen a dramatic rise, with farmers expanding plantings of the drought-tolerant nut, making it the state’s sixth-largest agricultural commodity by value. The U.S. has surpassed Iran to become the world’s leading exporter, with the crop generating nearly $3 billion last year.
California now grows more than a third of the country’s vegetables and three-quarters of its fruit and nuts.. While much of the crop is exported to China, demand is also growing domestically as pistachios become a popular snack, available in a variety of flavors.
One of the biggest contributors in this boom is The Wonderful Co., which significantly increased its pistachio production in 2015 after developing a higher-yielding rootstock. The company now produces 15-20% of the U.S. pistachio crop.
Photo Credit: Capital Press
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