Pistachio Exports are Up Big

Marketing that billion-pound pistachio crop from last year and bigger crops to come. Richard Matoian is executive director of American Pistachio Growers.

“We are very bullish on the ability to market this crop. We see growing consumer demand,” Matoian said.

“Last year, 2020, because of COVID and an off-year crop in 2019, exports were down. This year we're actually seeing a surge up in exports overall about 18%, in exports year over year, in the EU we have about a 45% increase in exports and in China, despite the tariffs we're seeing about a 16 and a-half percent increase in exports,” said Matoian. “That's very, very positive news, particularly in China, despite the tariffs that are in place, we still see increased shipments,” Matoian noted.

And we asked Matoian and if he thought the Biden administration would rescind those tariffs put in place by the previous administration.

“We certainly hope the Biden administration makes a priority, reducing or eliminating the tariffs in China. I know that there's been one conversation already between President Biden and President Xi Jinping of China,” Matoian explained. “But that one conversation is not going to do it. It's going to probably take some longer than hope for negotiation to get new lower tariffs in place.”