Spanish pistachio farming booms amid droughts

Years ago, Miguel Angel Garcia farmed grapes and grains in central Spain, following the legacy of his father and grandfather. Today, he cultivates pistachios, a more profitable crop that can endure the increasingly frequent and severe droughts in Spain.

Garcia harvests 10 to 20 tonnes of pistachios annually on his 26-hectare farm in Manzanares, part of the growing pistachio production in Spain.

“Growing wine and cereals was no longer sustainable,” explained the 58-year-old, who switched to pistachios in 2007. “If I hadn’t made the change, I wouldn’t be able to support myself on my farm.”

On his farm, an electric harvester shakes the pistachio trees, causing the nuts to fall onto canvas below. Pistachio trees, originally from the Middle East, are well-suited to Spain’s climate, with hot summers and cold winters, according to Garcia.

The land dedicated to pistachio trees in Spain has increased almost five-fold since 2017, reaching 79,000 hectares in 2024, as per agriculture ministry data.

– ‘Strong demand’ –

Spain is now the largest pistachio producer in Europe and the fourth-largest globally after the United States, Iran, and Turkey.

Most pistachios are grown in regions like Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, and Andalusia, which are facing water scarcity due to climate change.

Pistachios, coming from desert regions, are better suited to the new climate patterns, as explained by Mario Gonzalez-Mohino, an agricultural engineer and the director of Pistacho Pro.

This year, Spain recorded its hottest August, with temperatures averaging 25 degrees Celsius. The country’s production, nearly 9,000 tonnes annually, is projected to increase due to many plots still not in production, requiring about seven years before yielding a harvest.

Joaquin Cayuela Verges, from the Pistamancha agricultural cooperative, foresees a promising future for pistachio production and highlights the sector’s dynamism and strong demand.

The cooperative sells most of its pistachios in Europe, mainly to France and Germany, at around 10-11 euros per kilo.

– ‘Matter of patience’ –

To meet the expansion, Pistamancha is investing five million euros to build a facility for sorting, peeling, and drying pistachios, with a capacity of one million kilos per year.

Regarding concerns of overproduction, industry experts see little risk as Spanish pistachios fall short of domestic demand, with most pistachios still being imported, primarily from the US.

Pistachios are not only popular as snacks but are also used in Middle Eastern cuisine, baked goods, ice cream, and cosmetics.

“Planting pistachio trees requires patience and long-term investment,” noted Garcia, reflecting on his 15-year journey in pistachio cultivation. “It’s a matter of patience to see returns from pistachios.”

vab/mdm/ds/js/lth