The export of Iranian pistachios and pistachio kernels decreased by about 60 percent in 2022 compared to 2021. The most significant factor of the export reduction is the decrease in the market inventory in 2022 compared to 2021. The desire to export pistachio kernels increased in 2022 due to the quality decrease. Also, many crops became empty in shells in 2022 compared to the previous year.

According to the additional Iran custom statistics, 65,303 tons of Iranian pistachios and pistachio kernels worth 464,406,507 USD were exported in 2022. The average price of the mentioned crops was 7.11 USD per kg in 2022. The most important Iranian pistachio and pistachio kernel customer was China in 2022.

80 percent in-shell pistachios

Of the total exported pistachios and pistachio kernels, 52,382 tons worth 319,240,812 USD belonged to the export of in-shell pistachios. 80 percent by weight and 69 percent by Dollar value were allocated to the export of in-shell pistachios in 2022. The average price of in-shell pistachios for export was 6.09 USD per kg last year. In addition, 12,921 tons worth 145,165,695 USD belonged to the export of pistachio kernels. The average price of pistachio kernels exported by Iran was 11.24 USD per kg last year.

The export of Iranian pistachios and pistachio kernels dropped significantly in 2022 compared to the previous year. 168,230 tons of this product worth 1,126,231,741 USD (6.69 USD per kilogram) were exported from Iran in 2021. The export rate of pistachios and pistachio kernels has fallen by 61 percent in terms of weight and by 59 percent in terms of Dollar value in 2022 compared to 2021.

Sharp reduction in the market inventory and lower quality

The main factor for the decrease in the export of this product was the sharp reduction in the market inventory in 2022 compared to the past year. Another factor for the decrease in demand and export of this product is the lower quality of the available product in 2022, which was due to the drought and weather stress during crop cultivation.

The decrease in supply in 2022 and the desire to increase the export of pistachio kernels caused a growth of about 6.3 percent in the average price of each kilogram of Iranian pistachio and pistachio kernels for export in 2022 compared to 2021. The desire to export pistachio kernels increased in 2022 compared to 2021 due to the decrease in quality and the emptying of many shells. Of the total pistachio exports, 13.5 percent by weight and 22 percent by Dollar value were allocated to pistachio kernel exports in 2021. However, this amount increased to 20 percent by weight and 31 percent by Dollar value in 2022.

Factors of price increase

Compared to the last two months, the price of Iranian pistachios and pistachio kernels for export has risen by 8 to 12 percent in the world markets. The most important factors of this price increase are the sharp decrease in the market inventory of pistachios and pistachio kernels, as well as the sharp increase in domestic demand due to the approach of the Nowruz and New Year holidays in Iran. The shortage of the product in the market is due to the ongoing decline in the production of this crop since last year.