Researchers at the University of California-Davis are cracking the shell on pistachios, and why they are usually only found in the snack aisle.
They say it all comes down to cost.
“We don’t see pistachios competing with the dairy markets or with the beef markets, yet they are still primarily a snack food market. Now, you don’t see the pistachio flours, for example, like you can go to the supermarket and buy almond flour. You don’t go to the supermarket, at least most of us, and see pistachio flour being an almost standard item these days,” said Daniel A. Sumner.
This year could be a good one for pistachio growers. USDA predicts an expansion in production this season.
“The U.S. pistachio crop is forecasted at 1.1 billion pounds in shell this season based on data from the Administrative Committee for Pistachios. If that production number is realized, the 2024 crop will be the third-largest on record behind 2023 and 2021. It will also mark the ninth straight year that the United States has led the world in pistachio production,” said USDA Economist Catharine Weber.
That growth in production has helped meet demand for the popular nut around the globe.
