Richard Matoian, executive director of American Pistachio Growers, says production of tree nuts such as pistachios, walnuts and almonds continues to grow in California at a 5 percent annual rate as consumers gravitate more and more toward their nutritional benefits, requiring the expansion of orchards on coveted precious ground.
American Pistachio Growers, based in Fresno, is a voluntary trade association representing members who are pistachio growers, processors and industry partners in California, Arizona and New Mexico, comprising 100 percent of domestic commercial pistachio production. It has 700 members, but growers in those three states total 1,200.
“Pistachio consumption has grown. There has been an uptick in domestic consumption, but growth also has been seen in export markets like China, Southeast Asia and Europe. California produces 99 percent of the nation’s total,” Matoian told WLJ.
He estimates there are 320,000 acres of pistachios planted in California, Arizona and New Mexico with 250,000 acres actually bearing the nuts. About a million acres of almonds are in the ground. The acreage for the tree nuts includes new ground not previously planted and some range land, but most of the orchards are changing over from annual crops such as cotton, tomatoes and garlic, to some extent.
“One thing about pistachios is it takes up to seven years to get the first crop. Some people hesitate about planting them because it takes so long,” Matoian said.
Growers look at a number of factors before expanding, including cost and availability of water, rates of return, labor costs, etc.
“When you look at all those factors, the tree nuts seem to line up pretty well in relation to commodities. They are highly mechanized and bring back more returns per acre in general,” he said.
About 605 million pounds of pistachios were produced in 2017, down from the record 903 million pounds grown in 2016. Pistachio orchards were left unscathed by California’s raging wildfires that devastated the state’s grape vineyards in wine-growing territory last year.
In some areas of the state, water is scarce and unable to be pumped from the ground. Instead, growers must rely on state or surface water, paying $1,000 to $1,550 an acre when it takes three-and-a-half acre feet to grow crops.
“One of the other great things about pistachios is they become the crop of choice because they do well in poor soil. If they need to be deficit-irrigated, they can be and the tree won’t be lost,” Matoian said, as opposed to walnut trees which are not as hardy or deeply rooted.
Because of its diverse topography, California grows more than 400 different commodities. Some vegetables do better in cooler coastal climates while tree nuts can thrive in hotter temperatures.
“Pistachios are a lot like a lot of tree fruit varieties. They require chill time. They need cold during the winter, but need hot or heat during the summer,” he said. “The future looks very positive.”
Consumers are drawn to tree nuts because they recognize they are good sources of fiber and protein. They also contain almost zero sugar. A typical pistachio has three grains of fiber and 290 milligrams of potassium. “We’re a good tasty snack, but because they are good for you and nutritious, that’s what is really driving their growth,” Matoian said.
A spokesperson for the California Walnut Board and Commission, said California’s walnut industry directly and indirectly accounts for 85,000 jobs. There are more than 4,800 walnut growers in the state, a large majority being family farms, many of which have been in the business for several generations.
“More than 99 percent of the walnuts in the U.S. are grown in the fertile soils of California’s Central Valley (spanning 400 miles from Red Bluff in the north to Visalia in the south). Exports account for 67 percent of shipments. Internationally, California walnuts supply three quarters of world trade,” the California Walnut Board and Commission said.
California’s walnut production last year was about 650,000 tons, down 5 percent from the record 686,000 tons grown in 2016. There were about 335,000 acres bearing walnuts in 2017 or 74 trees per acre, up from 315,000 acres or 73 trees per acre the previous year. No commercial walnut operations were damaged in California’s recent horrific wildfires.
“The industry has a robust production research program that continually invests in new technologies to improve breeding, disease resistance and orchard management,” said the California Walnut Board and Commission spokesperson.
California’s walnut production was valued at $1.24 billion in 2016, down from the peak of $1.9 billion in 2014. Estimates for 2017 are not yet available. — Mark Mendiola, WLJ correspondent
