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Pistachios: exports surge by triple digits

January 22, 2024 at 11:58 AM , Der AUDITOR
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FRESNO. With the record US crop exceeding expectations for pistachios marketing is required to boost demand. Exports may have surged, but domestic demand cannot keep up as the shipment report for December shows.

Record exports

While exports have surged to a record 428 million pounds between September and December 2023, domestic shipments have flatlined at 83 million pounds as xompared with 2022/2023. Monthly domestic shipments were up in October but ranged lower than last year in November and December. After September saw a disappointing start to the season exports have, however, remained strong in the past three months. While crop receipts range just below 1.5 billion pounds and carry-over supplies from 2022/2023 at 164 million pounds total shipments reached 511 million pounds for the season in December. This leaves a marketable inventory of 970 million pounds.

Initially projected at 1.3 billion pounds the surprise record crop has boosted exports by incredible triple digits. Not only have total shipments for the season more than doubled but China accounts for nearly half of the entire volume exported as shipments have almost tripled and Germany is sporting the highest rise of 261%. These figures even put the 99% rise in exports to Turkey to shame. Shipments to India have flatlined and have only risen by 4% to the United Arab Emirates.

US pistachio exports (1,000 pounds)

Destination

2022/23

2023/24

Diff.

China

78,801

203,311

158.0%

Germany

9,876

35,609

260.6%

Turkey

13,226

26,279

98.7%

Hong Kong

12,900

16,060

24.5%

Spain

6,813

13,094

92.2%

UAE

6,395

13,068

4.3%

India

11,643

11,721

0,7%

Vietnam

7,777

11,520

48.1%

Italy

7,132

8,225

15.3%

Canada

7,434

7,857

5.7%

Others

49,503

81,321

64.3%

Total

211,500

428,065

102.4%

Administrative Committee for Pistachios, 01/09-31/12

Demand needs a boost

Reports state that the American Pistachio Growers Association is keen to boost marketing efforts in future. Projection is that annual production will exceed 2 billion pounds by 2031. Intention is to explore new marketing opportunities and promote consumer demand. Although Mexico has only closely missed being ranked among the top ten export destinations for the US this year so far, the industry regards its neighbour as a valuable new client. Shipments to Mexico have surged by 23% to 7 million pounds this season so far.

 

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