California farmers have been devoting more land to pistachios, which are seen as hardier and more drought-tolerant in a state prone to dramatic swings in…
Pistachios are growing fast in California, where farmers have been devoting more land to a crop seen as hardier and more drought-tolerant in a state prone to dramatic swings in precipitation.In a sprawling plant in the heart of California's farmland, millions of shells rush down a metallic chute and onto a conveyor belt where they are inspected, roasted, packaged and shipped off to groceries around the world.
The Wonderful Co., a $6 billion agricultural company known for brands such as Halo mandarins and FIJI Water, is the biggest name in pistachios. The company has grown pistachios since the 1980s, but it ramped up in 2015 after developing a rootstock that yields as much as 40% more nuts with the same soil and water, said Rob Yraceburu, president of Wonderful Orchards.
Pistachio orchards can be sustained with minimal water during drought, unlike almonds and other more sensitive crops. The trees also rely on wind instead of bees for pollination and can produce nuts for decades longer, Yraceburu said. The rise of pistachios is part of California farmers' shift into perennial crops commanding higher returns than products such as cotton, according to a 2023 report by the Public Policy Institute of California.
When farmers decide what to plant, “I think the biggest thing is the market and where is the market,” Franklin said. “And water is right below that.”Farmers across California are bracing for the impact of the 2014 state law aimed at ensuring a more sustainable use of groundwater after years of over pumping depleted basins and eroded water quality in some rural areas.
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California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to ChinaCalifornia farmers have been devoting more land to pistachios, which are seen as hardier and more drought-tolerant in a state prone to dramatic swings in precipitation.
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California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to ChinaCalifornia farmers have been devoting more land to pistachios, which are seen as hardier and more drought-tolerant in a state prone to dramatic swings in precipitation
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California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to ChinaCalifornia farmers have been devoting more land to pistachios, which are seen as hardier and more drought-tolerant in a state prone to dramatic swings in precipitation.
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California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to ChinaCalifornia farmers have been devoting more land to pistachios, which are seen as hardier and more drought-tolerant in a state prone to dramatic swings in precipitation. The nut has surged over the past decade to become the state’s sixth-biggest agricultural commodity in value, generating nearly $3 billion last year.
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