Australian pistachios break harvest record, industry says there’s more to come

Australia’s pistachio crop this year was the highest on record and, with production expected to triple over the next eight years, the industry is hoping to tap into new markets overseas.

Most of the country’s pistachio crop is grown along the Murray River in southern New South Wales, north-west Victoria and South Australia.

Many nuts are then processed at shelling facilities, including a new multi-million dollar processing plant in Robinvale, in north-west Victoria.

Pistachios are associated with Christmas because they are harvested in September in the northern hemisphere.

However, in Australia they are harvested from late February to early March.

About 10 years ago, the industry only planted 700 hectares of trees, but this has increased to 3,000 hectares.

Australian Pistachio Growers Association research committee chair Chris Joyce said there was everything indicates that demand would continue to increase.

“It will double in the next two or three years, and double again in the next four years.”

“This year we have started to open up export opportunities, but we also want to increase domestic consumption.”

Trees that live a long time

Mr Joyce said the historic value of pistachios had led other growers to turn to the industry to abandon struggling crops.

“When it comes to other crops in Australia, which might be described as difficult, for example wine grapes, there has been a trend away from that,” he said.

“Seven years ago we were processing crops from 17 different producers, this year there were 50 of us, and there are also many new producers.”

This compares to Australia’s largest nut crop, almonds, Mr Joyce said. pistachio trees lived longer and nuts commanded higher prices.

“A pistachio orchard, you will never replace it, my trees are 40 years old and they will disappear in 40 years, whereas with an almond orchard you will consider starting again after 25 years,” he said.

“Almond industry prices have been seriously depressed over the past three years, and pistachios prices have been significantly higher.”

But Mr Joyce said there had also been an expansion of pistachio plantations overseas.

“The relative appeal of pistachios has led to massive expansion in California and Spain,” he said.

“For example, California has planted 10,000 hectares per year over the last decade.

“This must have an impact on global pistachio prices, and we have already seen a drop of about 30 percent compared to what they were about five years ago.”

Room to grow

Semi-retired Robinvale grower David Crawford plays an active role in the industry as chairman of the Australian Pioneer Pistachio Company (APPC).

He said APPC was looking to China and India for growth.

Almond grower and chairman of the Australian Nut Industry Council Brendan Sidhu said it was an exciting time.

He planted 100 hectares of pistachios on his own property.

“Pistachios are similar to almonds in that there are only certain areas you can grow them in, and the Murray-Darling Basin is an ideal climate for them,” he said.

“The pistachio industry is poised to double in size, and with the opportunity presented by the new Robinvale facility, I believe it is only set to grow.”