Pistachios are widely used as nuts or seeds for various Mediterranean dishes such as Pizza, which is originated in Greece. The seeds of this tree can also be used for other purposes apart from food. Today, they can be found in various forms like as cookies, doughnuts, cakes and pastries. They are the most commonly found nuts in America. A delicious pistachio nut cake or pizza can be prepared using this tree. In the recent years, they have gained a lot of popularity in the United States and in other countries too.
The pistachio nut tree grows well in tropical regions especially in Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, New Zealand, Vietnam and the Philippines. Economic Value In 2018, the American Pistachio Growers association stated that the pistachio nut tree sector produces more than $3.5 billion annually and creates 23,000 jobs in California alone. These nuts are so valuable that the governments of several countries prohibit their export. However, pistachios themselves follow an annual biennial pattern with an off year and an on year with an off year, with values increasing in the late summer and declining in the late winter.
Many environmental groups have raised issues about the impact of global warming on pistachios. Global Warming is said to increase the moisture retention of the soil, affecting the growth of other plants as well as the pistachios themselves. Since Iran and other countries are involved in regional disputes over land, pistachios may become a source of conflict in the future.
The United States is one of the largest importers of pistachios and other nuts. However, the United States has yet to fully capitalize on this important export. Some argue that the United States may experience a double burden by allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons and yet failing to prevent the illegal importation of cheap Iranian pistachios from other countries. With the United States not participating in bilateral trade negotiations with India, China, and South Korea over the ownership of the Dalai Lama’s picture, now seems to be a lost cause for the global pistachio tree industry.
Growing pistachios is a laborious and slow process. Even with modern technology, this can still be a time-consuming process for farmers who depend heavily on these trees to produce a meager income. The trees have a shallow root system, which makes them vulnerable to heavy rains. They also grow in extreme temperatures with no protection from harsh winds. The lack of irrigation means that water is absorbed fast at the roots, not released slowly as it should be. pistachio tree nuts have high crude protein contents but low amounts of essential fatty acids, making them poor dietary proteins.
The best way to protect your trees would be to remove them during their growing season. However, most farmers do not have access to this luxury making them wait until after their trees have grown to a certain point to harvest the nuts and remove them. If the pistachios are left to grow after harvesting, the tree will not have enough nutrients to support itself and may wither. The pistachio seeds can lie dormant in the soil for up to two years before they can be harvested, significantly reducing the nutritional value of the nuts.
Harvesting must be done quickly if you want to avoid having unsightly tree scars. Most gardeners mulch the pistachios to save money but this practice also suffocates the tree. The leaves and stems of the pistachio trees can rot which can lead to poor pest control. To ensure good pest control, it is best to leave the tree unattended until spring when it is free of pests. Once the tree is harvested, the vera that surrounds the tree will dry out and wither which results in an unsightly stump.
As with most nuts, pistachios require a special diet to guarantee their nutritional value. High levels of salt and fat should be avoided due to the fact that they are high calorie foods. However, most people find that consuming these nuts on a regular basis provides many positive health benefits including: increased energy, healthier skin, an anti-aging effect and anti inflammatory properties. These pistachios are so tasty that eating them on a regular basis is difficult to resist and so it is likely that you will develop a taste for them!