Climate change has caused severe drought in Iran, 85% of whose territory is considered 'arid' or 'semi-arid'. Pistachio production has decreased as well as the volume exported.
Local media reported that according to ICC (Iran Chamber of Cooperatives) the country exported just over 46,000 tons of pistachios in the first 10 months (March 21, 2022-January 20, 2023) of the current Iranian calendar year. .
This exported volume is very low, compared to the 135,322 tons exported in the whole Iranian year 2021-22 and the 203,637 tons exported in the whole Iranian year 2020-21.
This decline in the volume exported is the result of the effects of climate change, which has been causing severe drought for several years and is impacting pistachio production.