Legend has it that in ancient Western Asia the Queen of Sheba loved this nut so much that she demanded, by decree, that all the pistachios in the kingdom be given to her and the members of her court. In fact, its very name, which comes from the Persian “Pisteh”, means wealth and fortune. And if in its beginnings the pistachio was linked to the upper classes, nowadays this crop is reviving its splendour and growing all over the world.
From EDYPRO we want to pay tribute and take advantage of this post to congratulate the pistachio on its world day (26th February). And we are going to do so by telling you everything you need to know about the boom we are experiencing with this wonderful nut.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Pistachio cultivation dates back to ancient times. Egyptians, Greeks and Romans already consumed and spread this delicacy. It was introduced into Italy from Syria in the 1st century and later spread to the rest of the Mediterranean basin.
The pistachio tree was brought to our peninsula by the Romans, developed thanks to the Arabs and said goodbye to us in the Middle Ages with the Moors. It was not until 1980 that we experienced the commercial reintroduction of this crop in Spain.
WHERE PISTACHIOS ARE GROWN TODAY
At present, the main producing countries are Iran, the USA (which is self-sufficient with its Californian production), Turkey, Syria, China and Greece. (which is self-sufficient with its Californian production), Turkey, Syria, China and Greece. Germany is the world’s largest importer, followed by Spain, France and Middle Eastern countries.
Focusing on our borders, Castile La Mancha is the European leader in terms of production and surface area. This region has more than 82 percent of the pistachio area in Spain, with more than 46,000 hectares of the 56,000 hectares existing at national level. It is followed by Andalusia, Extremadura and Castile Leon.
These figures are steadily increasing, in fact, we are talking about a 30% increase in the last year, according to the Survey on Crop Surfaces and Yields published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. However, despite the fact that we have exceeded a national production of 7,000 tonnes, we are still not satisfying the high demand we have today.
And at this point you may be asking yourself, but…. Why is there so much demand for this nut? Is it so good? At EDYPRO we have a clear answer and the answer is a resounding YES.
QUALITIES
- To begin with, the pistachio is the fruit with the highest level of potassium you can find. It is very energetic and nutritious. It helps to reduce menstrual cramps, regulates cholesterol and stress, fights obesity and maintains optimal blood pressure.
- It is part of the pyramid of our Mediterranean diet and can be consumed in different ways such as salted, in confectionery, oil, charcuterie, or ice cream.
- But we don’t only use it for consumption, pistachio fruits are also used in cosmetics and beauty products thanks to their multiple properties and benefits. And it even helps us to create fuel through its hard and resistant wood.
POSSIBLE DISADVANTAGES
In spite of all the positive aspects, the pistachio tree is one of the least exploited fruit trees and this may be due to the following reasons:
- The high cost of plant material
- The use of high-level production technology
- Lack of knowledge and experience of the varieties cultivated.
- It takes a long time to bear fruit. It starts from the fifth year and reaches full production in the tenth year.
- Difficulty for trees to take root in new plantations.
On the other hand, it needs to be planted in sunny places to be less susceptible to pests and diseases. And, although it withstands strong, dry winds, it prefers gentle breezes to increase the percentage of its fruits. As for the soil, although it can grow in a wide range, it prefers deep, well-drained, sandy loam soils. Good pollination is essential to obtain a large and quality production.
And this is where EDYPRO comes in with products like COUPÉ REGENERACIÓN Plus, ORGANOVITAL PLUS, CUPRO-PLUS MAX, MELASTOP, AMINOPLUS, ALGATRON, ENDOFOSFITO, HYDROCAL, EDYMAG or MAX QUALITY thanks to which the possible disadvantages are minimised, thus helping pistachio growers to get the most out of their crops.
In this way, the “happy nut”, as it is known in many countries, passes on this happiness to those who grow it and those who eat it.