Iran's Pistachio Harvest Falls to 120,000 Tonnes as Global Output Forecast to Drop 36 Percent
Persistent drought, extreme heat and geopolitical conflicts have sharply reduced Iran's pistachio production in 2026, significantly affecting shipments to China.
According to figures released in June by the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), global pistachio production for the 2026/2027 season is forecast at approximately 701,000 tonnes, down 36 percent from the previous season. For the first time in four years, worldwide output is expected to fall below one million tonnes.
Rafsanjan, in Iran's Kerman Province, remains one of the country's major pistachio-growing centers. Iran has approximately 600,000 hectares of pistachio orchards.
Pistachio trees in Iran typically flower between April and May, while harvesting takes place from August to September. However, high temperatures during flowering and fruit development have damaged trees and reduced yields over the past two years.
Behrouz Agah, a founding member of the Iran Pistachio Association, said severe heat in April had affected both last year's and this year's harvests.
“Iran has only about 120,000 tons this year. We should have had about maybe 240,000, 250,000 tons,” he said.
This means the harvest could be roughly half of what would otherwise have been expected.
Freshly harvested pistachios are usually transported to nearby processing facilities, where they are hulled, washed, sorted and prepared for sale.
Iranian pistachios are classified by size and appearance, with different grades ranging from 18 to 38 nuts per ounce (28.35 grams). Automated color-sorting equipment is used to assess product quality.
Reduced supplies and rising prices are prompting importers to change their purchasing strategies.
China relies heavily on imported pistachios, primarily sourced from the United States and Iran. As supply chains face disruption, Chinese food companies are exploring alternative ways to purchase and process the nuts.
At a trade fair in Dubai, Yang Juan, a purchasing manager at a Chinese food company, said her business planned to buy in-shell pistachios and seek new processing channels to extract the kernels, aiming to secure more competitive prices and reliable supplies.
As reported by SSTV+, unfavorable weather conditions and other pressures have significantly reduced Iran's pistachio harvest. Global production is forecast to fall to around 701,000 tonnes in the 2026/2027 season, prompting importers to adjust their procurement strategies.
