Mount Etna Pistachios Forecast

Pistachios are grown mostly on the slope of Mount Etna in Sicily, where growers drastically trim the trees every other year to obtain a larger crop in the following season. Therefore, after negligible 2006 crop, this year production will be significant. Sicilian pistachios are considered by the Italian trade to be of superior quality when compared to imported nuts from Iran and USA. The Sicilian pistachio's green colour is particularly desired by the confectionary and ice-cream industries. Imports in the current marketing year 2006/07 will slightly increase after 2006 problems with aflatoxins found in Iranian pistachios. Nuts from Iran that are more competitive in prices will reduce imports from USA.