Jumbo is a type of pistachios that is farmed and harvested in Iran so the main and the biggest suppliers of this delicious nuts are in Iran.
However, Iran exports a large number of Jumbo pistachios to the United Arab Emirates so nearly half or even more than half of the suppliers are in United Arab Emarat and they export a large amount of Jumbo Pistachios to European, African, and Asian countries.
Jumbo pistachios are mainly known as Kale Ghoochi which means rams head.
They called it because of how it’s shaped and looks.
The breed's shape, which resembles a Jumbo Pistachio (Kale Ghoochi), is where the local name comes from.
This breed is famous for its size.
Jumbo pistachios are larger and longer than round pistachios.
The high percentage of fat in this pistachio gives it a unique flavor.
Kalegoti the pistachios have been cultivated for over 4,000 years and have a long history in agriculture.
Iranian farmers and producers have enough capacity that Iran Jumbo the pistachios are in a spectacular and unique condition as they are now.
According to recent studies, Iran produces more than 70% of the world's giant pistachios, and in the same year it reached a high annual production of 150,000 m/t.
Iran finished the 2018-19 season as the world's third-largest producer with a 52,000 tons (in shell) yield.
However, the harvest was very low, which made the season remarkable.
Iran's pistachio production ranks second in the world, with an average five-year yield of 172,000 tons of the.
Pistachios are also widely consumed in Iran.
Domestic consumption of crops accounts for about 35% and exports account for the remaining 65%.
Compared to the United States (20% on average), Iran exports a significantly higher percentage of pistachio kernels.
Iran's pistachio kernel exports account for an average of 60-70% of world exports, making it one of the world's leading exporters.
In 2018, the main destinations for Iranian pistachio exports were the United Arab Emirates (12%) and India (11%).
16% of total exports go to the EU and more than 50% of the export share goes to Germany.
Spain is Europe's fastest-growing market for Iranian pistachios.
Exports to Spain doubled from 600 tons in 2014 to over 1,300 tons in 2018.
Kerman province in the southeast of Iran is the country's largest pistachio producer with over 200,000 hectares devoted to pistachio cultivation.
The province accounts for about 70% of Iran's pistachio production, but production faces challenges due to water scarcity, the need for irrigation, and post-harvest work.
Fandoghi (40% of pistachio plantations), Kalleh-Ghouchi (20%), Akbari (15%) and Ahmad-Aghaei (12%) are the main varieties of pistachios in Iran.
Over 70% of production is done by small farmers who rarely use automated harvesting tools.
Iranian pistachios are prized for their high shell-to-core ratio and high percentage of large cores.
Iranian producers, processors and exporters have established the Iran Pistachio Association to Increase Production (IPA).
IPA supports investments in the latest production technologies and regularly participates in major trade events around the world.
Pistachios Suppliers
For suppliers looking to export pistachios to Europe, food safety certification coupled with regular and reliable lab testing can help foster a positive reputation.
By using sustainable production techniques and implementing a CSR policy, emerging suppliers gain additional benefits.
Due to high levels of aflatoxins, pistachios are often rejected at border controls, so suppliers must pay special attention to controlling mycotoxins.
All foods containing pistachios must be safe to be marketed in the European Union.
Overseas products are no exception.
Additions require approval.
There are limits on the levels of dangerous contaminants such as mycotoxins and pesticide residues.
Also, the label should clearly state that nuts may cause allergies.
Maximum values for various contaminants in food are defined by European Commission regulations.
In addition to the limits established for basic products in general, this regulation is constantly being updated and includes a range of specific limits for contaminants in certain commodities such as pistachios, mycotoxins, The presence of trace amounts of pesticides, microbes and heavy metals are the contaminants most often desired in pistachios.
If such products are found to frequently violate applicable laws, the importation of such products will be subject to stricter requirements, such as being accompanied by health certificates and analytical test reports.
May be Products from countries that consistently violate the rule are listed in the annex to the rule.
The world's largest producer and exporter of pistachios is the United States.
In 2018, approximately 450,000 tons of pistachios were produced in the United States.
The United States produces the 47% of the world's crops, followed, by Iran (27%), Turkey (20%) and Turkey (27%).
The United States is the world's leading exporter of pistachios, with approximately 70% of its production exported to other countries.
In 2018, US pistachio exports totaled 193,000 tonnes, representing 50% of world exports.
However, this large share of world exports is largely due to Iran's very modest crop, given that the United States has held an average share of 36% over the past five years.
China, including Hong Kong, accounts for 42% of the world's pistachio exports, while Germany accounts for 10% of the.
The majority of US exports (nearly 96%) are shelled pistachios.
Percentage of shells and/or kernels that do not meet minimum standards is indicative of pistachio quality.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe guidelines specify minimum requirements for both shelled pistachio nuts and pistachio nuts (UNECE).
In addition to these, other quality requirements are used, such as taste and aroma.
Some of these criteria are arbitrary and difficult to assess based on physical characteristics.
In addition to the UNECE standards, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, of which the United States and Iran are members, also produces equivalent but slightly different standards.
The most important factors used to evaluate pistachio quality are: Class: The European Union does not have an official classification system for pistachios.
However, shelled pistachios and pistachio nuclei are usually classified into three major classes, class extra, class I and class II, according to different criteria and according to the defects allowed.
There are only two classes defined for shelled pistachios: Extra and Class I.
Regarding how the shell is opened, the standards used in the United States and Iran define a grade of 3 or higher for shelled pistachios (for naturally opened shells, mechanically open).
An important quality requirement for in-shell pistachios is the percentage of unbroken shells.
For class II, 97% of the shells should have a kernel inside, 97% for class I, and 98% for class extras should be open.
Grading: According to UNECE standards, the grade of pistachios in the shell is determined by the number of pistachios per 100 grams, whereas the grade is the number of pistachios per ounce under the standards used in the United States (28.35g) Based on the Class II caliber and shelled pistachio (kernel) optional.
Peeled pistachio kernels can be sorted by color.
Green, yellow-green, yellow, and mixed colors are four categories used to classify colors.
Another important factor is moisture content.
The moisture content of pistachios should not exceed 6.5%.
However, by U.S. standards, pistachios are considered very dry if the kernels are firm and crisp and the lot's average moisture level is less than 7%.