Pistachios: EU ups checks for Turkey and USA
February 24, 2026 at 8:50 AM ,
Der AUDITOR
Stricter EU controls for Turkish and US pistachios
In 2025, the European Commission’s RASFF database for food safety recorded 93 border rejection notifications for pistachios and pistachio products originating in Iran, Turkey and the USA and Syria along with 26 alerts and other notifications. This is quite a rise on the 72 border rejection notifications and 14 alerts issued in 2024. Aflatoxin was the main issue.
Iran narrowly managed to avoid an import ban in the EU last year after improving compliance. The number of border rejections came down a bit from 35 in 2024 to 32 in 2025, whereas the number of alerts and notifications remained a firm three. As the German importer Jupiter Pistachios highlights only a portion of the current crop, however, meets EU standards.
By contrast, the figures have risen for Turkish and US pistachios. While Turkey witnessed 24 border rejection notifications and two alerts in 2024, these numbers rose to 31 and four respectively in 2025. The rise in the figures for pistachios originating in the USA is even more pronounced. While 13 border rejection notifications and five alerts were issued in 2024, numbers nearly tripled to 29 and 13 in 2025.
Consequently, the European Commission increased the aflatoxin checks from 30% to 50% on pistachios, mixtures containing pistachios and products made from pistachios originating from Turkey or the USA and dispatched to the EU from Turkey as of 18 February according to a report issued by the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC).
|
EU pistachio rejections |
||
|
Origin |
Rejections |
Alerts/notifications |
|
Iran |
32 |
3 |
|
Turkey |
31 |
4 |
|
USA |
29 |
13 |
|
Italy |
|
4 |
|
Syria |
1 |
1 |
|
Spain |
- |
1 |
|
Total |
93 |
26 |
|
RASFF database 01/01/25-31/12/25 |
||
Tight supplies in 2026/2027
As the USA, Iran and Spain will witness an off year in terms of production in 2026 and global demand is on the rise Jupiter Pistachios predicts that supply shortages are possible and that prices will rise. The market is currently absorbing the large US supplies and stocks are still available in Spain. Although Turkey will witness an on year on terms of production, official estimates only project a 279,000 mt crop, which is a far cry from the record 400,000 mt witnessed in 2024/2025. Issue is that last year’s frost will have a sustained impact. Upside is that the weather conditions are favourable in Gaziantep, where 90% of the country’s pistachios are grown.
Good news has, in addition, emerged in Italy. Marcello Di Franco, president of the Pistacchio Valle del Platani association, highlights in Myfruit that Sicily, where more than 90% of Italy’s crop is grown, has witnessed abundant rainfall in recent weeks. This is a relief for the drought-stricken trees. Although the kernels of the 2025 crop were of good quality, drought had quite an impact on production. Stocks are nearly sold out.
Difficult situation in Iran
Although production was good in Iran in the current season, logistics are a major challenge as the continuing political turmoil has complicated shipments. Even the Iran Pistachio Association (IPA) admits that the unstable economic environment capped in-shell equivalent exports at 14,000 mt between 22 December 2025 and 20 January 2026, thereby presenting a 26% decrease on the same period in 2024/2025. The regime’s brutal crackdown on protesters along with the internet shutdown have made international business even more difficult for local suppliers along with a high exchange rate volatility, new export regulations and increased tensions with the USA.
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