This year, World Pistachio Day, celebrated on February 26th, is taking place at an exceptional time, marked by the sustained growth in global consumption of this nut and a concrete opportunity for Argentina to position itself as a new production hub. Currently, global demand is increasing at an average annual rate of 6.5%, with an additional boost recorded in 2025, as reported by Agencia Noticias Argentinas. The global success of Dubai chocolate in all its formats, which contains pistachios in its filling, has much to do with this jump in pistachio consumption. World production is concentrated in a few countries in the northern hemisphere—mainly the United States, Iran, and Turkey—that face structural restrictions related to the availability of arable land, water, and specific climatic conditions. This concentration creates vulnerability in supply and limits the capacity to respond to the sustained growth in demand. New players According to projections based on studies from the USDA, the FAO, and the International Nut Council, by 2040, a gap of over 250,000 tons could emerge between the global supply and demand for pistachios. This structural deficit reinforces price stability and opens opportunities for new players in the international market. In this scenario, the southern hemisphere acquires a strategic role. Off-season production allows for supplying markets during periods of lower availability, a key competitive advantage in the face of continued consumption growth. Agroecological characteristics Argentina presents propitious agroecological characteristics for cultivation: a semi-arid climate, high solar radiation, suitable soils, and technified irrigation systems. In particular, the province of San Juan is positioning itself as one of the regions with the greatest potential for the long-term development of this crop. Pistachios are also distinguished by their longevity, with a useful life of over 50 years, and average yields that can reach 3,500 kilograms per hectare at full productive maturity, with higher peaks in favorable seasons. In line with this trend, AgroFides is promoting a professional pistachio production model from San Juan province, oriented towards the international market. The initiative responds to both the sustained increase in demand and the limited global supply. This is a crop that presents low production risk, a useful life of over 50 years, and average estimated yields of 3,500 kilograms per hectare at full commercial maturity, with peaks that can exceed 6,000 kilograms in favorable years.
