Iran pistachio export

If you look at the history of many developed countries, you will know that one of the main pillars of their strong economy is related to the agricultural sector. These days, supplying people’s nutritional needs is a very important issue in the world; Therefore, the competition for the export of agricultural and animal husbandry goods has become more intense. Pistachio is one of Iran’s foreign exchange earnings and very important export products. Iranian pistachios are popular in many countries of the world because of their suitable size, unique taste and high quality, and are bought by special customers every year. Stay with us to learn more about how to export pistachios and the stages of this profitable business in the rest of this article.

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How to export pistachios completely in brief

  • Product supply:

before doing anything always read and get information. This step can be one of the main steps in pistachio export; it forms the basis of other steps. In order to have a successful business, be sure to research things such as how to find customers in abroad, the type of pistachio product they want, the health and food standards and approvals they accept, and the customs conditions of the destination country; For example, some European countries have strict laws regarding the amount of aflatoxin in pistachios, or some countries prefer buying processed pistachios to raw ones. With enough study and research, you can be sure of selling the best pistachios to your customers. (You can buy pistachios on the Babapistachio website without an intermediary from the farmer)

  • Product packaging:

After studying and choosing the best product for buyers, it is time to pack it. A suitable packaging attracts more customers, and protect the quality and durability of the product and increase the credibility of the manufacturer and exporter. in addition to the quality and beauty of the packaging, attention should also be paid to the inclusion of information such as the type of pistachio, its production specifications, the producing company, the exporting company, the importing company, etc.

  • getting documents of Standardity of exported pistachios:

the most important and time-consuming steps in pistachio export is getting health and hygiene certificates. At this stage, the standards of product must be approved by the country’s standards department and, in addition, it must obtain all the health and hygiene approvals of the destination country. The certificates required at this stage can be different depending on the country of destination; For example, it is necessary to carry out all tests and obtain all health and food hygiene certificates to export pistachios to European countries; Even in some cases, product must obtain food and drug approvals for the country of destination. Note that This step is done before the cargo enters the customs.

  • Submitting pistachio product to customs:

After doing all the tests and getting the approvals, finally the product will enter the customs (the cities producing the product). At this stage, you can complete the relevant documents such as declarations of type, specifications, weight and product invoice.

  • getting pistachio health certificate at customs:

Products that are in bulk volume and without a brand or the brand of the exporting company is not registered and does not meet the necessary standards; Samples are taken of them, they are subjected to numerous tests, the required health certificates are obtained, and then they get the customs clearance certificate.

  • Delivery of exported pistachios to transport companies:

After passing the customs stage, a bill of lading must be prepared for exporting pistachios. Fortunately, the difficulty of this stage is not like other stages; Because the exporting companies report step by step how to export pistachios during the contract with the transport companies and the transport companies also inform the customer about the steps of doing the work in the same way. One of the most important duties of the transport companies in exporting pistachios is to check and make sure that the containers, wagons, trucks, etc. are clean and disinfected. Refrigerated containers are not usually needed for exporting pistachios.

  • Receiving the bill of lading and settling the account:

At this stage, by presenting a draft bill of lading that includes information such as cargo specifications, the sender’s country and the receiver’s country, a percentage of the transaction amount is received by the sender’s (seller) country. This amount can be different based on the economic conditions of the receiving country or the agreement between the seller and the buyer; But usually 20% of the total amount of the transaction is included and the remaining 80% is paid after presenting the bill of lading image. The original bill of lading along with other necessary documents for goods clearance must be provided to the customer by the shipping companies.

  • Receiving other documents and certificate of origin of product export:

To receive a certificate of origin from the Chamber of Commerce, all shipping companies must receive other customs documents and confirmation of the bill of lading from the seller and customs. In this case, the required documents are completed and they can be cleared and sent to the destination country.

We hope that by reading the article on how to export pistachios in a concise and useful way, you have become familiar with its steps and its profitable business has become easier for you than before.

Pistachio export standards

Undoubtedly, pistachios are one of the most important agricultural products in Iran’s export sector; In many parts of the world, Iran is known for its high quality pistachios. Despite the intense competition of the United States with Iran, pistachio exports still play an important role in earning currency and improving the country’s economy; So, the number of people interested in exporting this product is increasing day by day. Knowing the pistachio export standards can lead to more and easier sales of this product. If you also intend to invest in this sector, stay with us to learn more about pistachio export standards.

What are the necessary conditions for pistachio export?

generally, export products must get the approval of the standard department and all the necessary approvals of the destination countries. Quality criteria and standards can be different from one country to another; It can be said that European countries are the strictest in importing food products, especially pistachios. In the following, you can read some of the standards that must be followed for exporting pistachios.

  • Control of pollutants and toxic substances:

Healthy and safe imported food, such as pistachios, is very important; Therefore, the first priority is obtaining health approvals for this product according to the health regulations of each country. You should know that some European countries, in addition to determining the limits of food pollutants, apply a number of specific restrictions for some food products such as pistachios. The most attention to food pollutants in pistachios is focused on substances such as mycotoxins (especially aflatoxin), pesticide residues, heavy metals and microorganisms. The list of these materials is regularly updated by the European Union and other countries; Therefore, knowing about the latest updates can speed up the process of getting your products approved.

  • Quality:

In general, the quality of pistachios is defined according to the percentage of shells or kernels that do not meet the minimum conditions and some other criteria such as color and taste. The most important criteria that can be used to determine the quality of pistachios are as follows:

Pistachio grade: In terms of export, pistachios can be classified based on the degree of open or closed mouth:

  • Grade AAA: includes 95% open mouth and 5% closed mouth.
  • Grade AA: includes 90% open mouth and 10% closed mouth.
  • Grade A: includes 85% open mouth and 15% closed mouth.
  • Grade B: includes 80% open mouth and 20% closed mouth.
  • Grade C: includes 70% open mouth and 30% closed mouth.

In the review of the pistachio export standards of some countries, including Iran and the United States of America, in addition to the degree of open or closed pistachios mouth, special attention is also paid to the natural or mechanical nature of open-mouthed pistachios.

  • Color of the pistachio: each type of pistachio can have its own unique color; But in general, standard pistachios are classified into four categories in terms of color:Green,yellowish green,yellow,Green and yellow mix
  • Moisture content: One of the most influential factors on pistachio texture and crispness is its moisture content. This amount should not be more than about 6.5%; But, this criterion can also be different in some countries; For example, in the United States, this amount is no more than about 7%.
  • Health and food safety certificates:

The number and type of food health certificates required for each importing country can be different, and receiving valid types can increase the credibility and confidence of selling your product. GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), IFS (International Featured Standards), FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification), Halal certificate (for Muslim markets) and… are among the most famous safety certificates and very similar to ISO22000. Some importing countries want other types of certificates; Like BRC in the UK buyers market.

  • Packaging and labeling:

One of the most important steps for high sales and increasing credibility and popularity in the market; Packaging and labeling should be standard and good. To carry out standard labeling and packaging, paying attention to the following points will help you:

  • The name of the product (pistachio, pistachio kernel, pistachio with shell, etc.) must be included on the label.
  • The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor or importer must be included on the label of the bulk packaging.
  • Storage and transportation instructions must be included on bulk packaging to prevent negative impact on quality of the product (due to the high oil content in pistachios).
  • To avoid problems such as contamination of the product with aflatoxin, it is better to include information such as the location of the garden, the date of harvest and the name of the breeder on the bulk packaging.
  • Information such as the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor or importer may be replaced by a specific identification mark.
  • The use of paper or stamps with commercial specifications on the product is allowed; Provided that when printing or labeling, an approved and non-toxic glue or ink is used.
  • In labeling and retail packaging of pistachios, according to European Union laws, it is necessary to comply with some things such as the readability of the writing on the package (observing the minimum font size for writing information), labeling pistachios as allergens, and explaining the allergens in the product.

In this article, we tried to help you in exporting this product with a general explanation about pistachio export standards.

Pistachio standard

If you look at the way of people living, you will know their lifestyle in compared to 50 years or even 20 years ago has become different. Undoubtedly, we owe this difference to the progress of science and as a result, the speed of doing many things; The main problems and needs of human societies still persist. One of the main needs is the issue of providing suitable food in terms of quantity and quality; For this reason, many countries with strong economies can be seen in the list of large countries that produce and export agricultural products. In the market of intense competition of countries in exports, the name of Iran can also be seen among the major exporters of some important agricultural products such as pistachios, saffron, etc. Knowing more about the standard of pistachio and the criteria of suitable and acceptable types of this valuable economic product can be of great help to both the seller and the buyer. Stay with us.

What are the characteristics of standard pistachios?

The pistachio standard is a cases that the experienced experts of the country’s standards department have fully investigated and specified a criterion for. To check the pistachio standard, the product is first examined in two general aspects (including pistachio shell) and pistachio kernel. You can read the standards related to both of these sections below.

Characteristics of standard pistachio shells

  • Shell color:

The color of the pistachio shell is the natural color of the hard and bony skin of the raw pistachio, which can vary from milky to dark cream, depending on the type of pistachio and the type of processing.

  • In elongated varieties of pistachio, you can see smoky colored dots and lines at the end of the outer shell, which is normal.
  • The color of processed pistachio skin shell (roasting, etc.) can be different depending on the type of process.
  • Bad color of the pistachio shell is said to be the case when the natural color of the hard shell of the pistachio is lost due to unfavorable processing conditions, in a quarter of the entire surface or a half of the surface of one edge and cannot be seen.
  • The acceptable amount of bad color in pistachio standard can vary depending on its type; But in general, in premium to excellent grade pistachios, it can be a maximum of 2% of all pistachios.
  • Pistachio shape:

In standard pistachios, the shape of the pistachios is natural and symmetrical.

  • If the pistachio kernel loses their symmetrical and natural shape for any reason such as incomplete growth, breaking during the process of mechanical grinding, etc., they become malformed.
  • In pistachio standard, maximum 5% of pistachios can be malformed; this amount can be different depending on the grade of pistachios.
  • Cracked Pistachio:

Pistachios hard and bony shell has cracks with appropriate sizes, there is easy access to its core, are cracked pistachios whether pistachios are cracked, less cracked or non-cracked, is a very important factor in determining the quality and price of pistachios.

  • In general, in determining the pistachio standard, maximum 6% of the seeds can be non-cracked pistachios (non-cracked pistachios weight is less than 25% of the weight of the pistachio).
  • In a standard load of pistachios, the maximum amount of unripe and raw can be 8% of the seeds.
  • raw is a pistachio hat first shell (soft shell) has not been separated or covers more than one-eighth of the entire surface of the hard and bony shell.
  • An unripe pistachio’s kernel has not completed its growth stages due to various reasons or has remained small. In this case, the pistachio kernel contains less than 47% and more than 25% of the weight of the pistachio.
  • Characteristics of standard pistachio kernel
  • Standard pistachio kernel does not have any unnatural or spicy smell and taste. The feeling of any taste, apart from the natural taste of pistachios, can indicate the occurrence of chemical reactions of pistachio kernel compounds or the penetration of pollutants into it. Standard pistachios should also be free of burnt smell and taste (due to processing in unfavorable conditions with high temperature or long time).
  • In standard pistachios, the maximum amount of free pistachio kernel can be 1% of the weight.
  • The pistachio kernel or its part that has come out of the hard shell is called free pistachio kernel.
  • The amount of peroxide extracted from pistachio nuts should be at most 1 equivalent per kilogram.
  • Aflatoxin in standard pistachios is 15 ppb for the whole and type B1 is a maximum of 5 ppb.
  • The amount of moisture (the amount of water in the pistachio kernel) should be a maximum of 6% of the seeds.
  • In standard pistachios, live pests should not be observed in any way and up to 5% of the seeds can be infected; provided that the amount of moldy seeds is not more than 0.2% of the seeds.
  • Pistachio pest: it is said to be pollution or damage caused by the activity of pests, which can include the droppings of eggshells, larvae, pupae, mold, fungi, holes resulting from the feeding of insects (they are usually observed after removing the third skin) and… Visible with the naked eye on pistachio nuts.
  • Uniformity of pistachio cultivars:

It is said that pistachios are uniform in size and variety, and pistachios that do not have these two characteristics are considered mixed (with lower quality and price).

  • Uniformity in size: when the weight ratio of 15% of the largest grains to 15% of the smallest grains is at most 1.5.
  • Uniformity in variety: when maximum 6% of the seeds are different from another variety.
  • foreign material:

Materials other than pistachios, such as pistachio green skin, bony and hard skin without core, pebbles, cracked puck, etc., are said to be visible to the naked eye and can be separated by different methods.

  • The maximum amount of foreign materials can be 1%; provided that the amount of foreign materials other than pistachio shell is not more than 0.3%.

The calculation numbers related to the determination of the pistachio standard can be different depending on the grade of the pistachio (Super excellent, excellent, grade 1, 2 and 3). In this article, we tried to help you get to know the pistachio standards a little more by stating the middle between these types.

The best country to export pistachios

Iran has always shined in many different fields in the world and made its people proud. One of these fields is the export of agricultural products (non-oil), especially the export of pistachios. when many people in the world hear the name of Iran remember high-quality and unique pistachios, exquisite carpets, etc. Iran is the second largest producer of pistachios in the world after the United States of America. Among the very important varieties in the export of pistachios, we can mention Ahmed Aghaei, Akbari, Fandghi and Kaleguchi, which are exported to more than 50 countries of the world. The answer to the question of which is the best country to export pistachios can be of great help to people who have recently entered this field. Stay with us.

Which countries can be introduced as the best countries for exporting pistachios?

  1. China: China ranks first with the purchase of about 5,547 tons (worth 35.4 million dollars).
  2. Germany: Germany ranks second by importing 2,982 tons of pistachios (worth 40 million dollars). It is interesting to know that Germany, in addition to importing a large amount of Iranian pistachios (in terms of weight and value), has bought the most expensive types (equivalent to 13 dollars and 11 cents per kilogram).
  3. Iraq: Iraq is the third main buyer of Iranian pistachios by importing about 1,866 tons of pistachios (worth approximately 25 million dollars).

After China, Germany and Iraq, Russia, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates, India and Spain can be the main buyers of Iranian pistachios.

Which countries buy the most expensive Iranian pistachios?

As you know, in addition to the amount of pistachios purchased, the type and value of each variety of pistachio have a significant impact on the final price. Some of the best countries to export expensive Iranian pistachios are as follows:

  1. Germany: 13 dollars and 11 cents per kilogram of pistachios
  2. Lebanon: 12 dollars 67 cents per kilogram of pistachios
  3. Italy: 11 dollars and 94 cents per kilogram of pistachios
  4. Jordan: 11 dollars and 49 cents per kilogram of pistachios
  5. Emirates: 10 dollars and 74 cents per kilogram of pistachios
  6. It is interesting to know that Spain, as a major importer, is the cheapest customer of Iranian pistachios by buying each kilogram of pistachios for 7 dollars and 97 cents.

Knowing the best country to export pistachios is one of the most important steps to get enough information and find a suitable market for sale.

Pistachio export tariff

undoubtedly, it can be said that in the last few decades, no country has been able to make an economic achievement without having foreign trade and acquiring technology and capital from other countries of the world, and then making progress towards increasing the welfare of its citizens; For this reason, export and import play an important role in the economic growth of a country. Iran annually exports different goods and services to the world; For example, one of the most important products in the field of agriculture is dates, dried fruits and especially pistachios. Exported pistachios can be exported to the whole world in different forms and bring a large amount of currency into the economic cycle of the country. If you are also interested in joining the big family of Iranian pistachio exporters, knowing the pistachio export tariff is one of the necessities; So stay with us.

What is the tariff?

Tariff referred to as taxes or duties that governments collect from exported or imported goods for different reasons (financial, protective, value or combined). Before getting acquainted with the pistachio export tariff, it is better to get to know more about the two different definitions of the TARIFF.

First definition:

Tariff means the product’s position in the HS classification (HS-harmonized system nomenclature) which is declared in the customs at the stage of declaring the goods or receiving permission from some legal authorities (such as registering an order). Based on these tariffs, clearance agents and merchants can determine the percentage or method of calculating the amount of duties and customs duties and permits required for the entry of goods, the permits required for the clearance of goods and the group of goods to receive foreign currency or whether export or import is allowed.

  • The point about this definition of the tariff is that its figures should be read from left to right and as two digits; For example, if the tariff of commodity X is equal to 54259810, this number is read as “fifty-four, twenty-five, ninety-eight, ten”.

Second definition:

In this definition, tariff means the amount of duties and taxes for goods during the declaration and clearance of goods at the customs. In this definition, merchants are looking for sources and sources for calculating customs duties and rights. In fact, according to this definition, tariffs are funds that are collected at customs from exported or imported goods and can be classified into two general categories:

  • First Division:

Duties and charges are as indirect taxes and are collected by customs.

  • second Division:

Fees that are charged for various services by service provider organizations such as the National Standard Organization, public warehouses in customs, ports organization, etc.

What is the pistachio export tariff?

pistachio export includes several stages, including product supply, packaging, obtaining certificates and permits necessary for pistachio export, customs procedures, etc. In the meantime, determining the tariff and value of pistachios is the first step and the beginning of the customs formalities. It is better to know that the export of pistachios is exempted from paying duties and taxes, and whether the product is fresh or dry has no effect on its tariff level. In the table below, you can see the value and tariff of pistachio types.

We hope that with this article on pistachio export tariff, we have helped you to take an earlier step towards the economic growth of the country.

Pistachio export status

The export of goods has always played an important role throughout history in the extent and manner of communication between countries around the world, and in many cases it can be the savior of the economy of countries, especially developing countries. Iran, is one of the big countries in the region, has important things to say every year in terms of exports (oil or non-oil). Dates, figs, watermelons, pistachios, etc. can be mentioned among the export goods in the field of agriculture. The export of pistachios has a significant value difference and annually brings a large amount of foreign currency into the country; But in general, what was the situation of pistachio exports last year? Knowing the status of pistachio exports can be effective in increasing or decreasing its exporters? Stay with us.

The largest producer of pistachios in Iran

As you know, among all Iranian pistachio producing provinces, Kerman city, having the largest pistachio orchards (about 212 thousand hectares), is the largest pistachio exporter in the country and has a foreign exchange value of more than 395 million dollars. Among the most important export varieties of pistachio (out of 50 different varieties cultivated in Kerman province), we can mention the Akbari, Ahmad Aghaei, Fandoghi and Kaleguchi varieties. Neighboring countries, China, Germany, Italy and other European countries are the most important buyers of Iranian pistachios.

How is the status of Iran’s pistachio exports?

“World Pistachio Trade in 2020” is the title of an article published by the American Pistachio Growers Association (APG) in 2020, in which, while providing statistics and information on the status of pistachio production and export, it has examined the conditions of the pistachio trade in the last few years. In the following, you can see some reports of this article about the status of Iran’s pistachio exports:

  • Among the major producers of pistachios, we can mention the countries of the United States of America, Iran, and then Turkey and Syria. Turkey faced a 60% decrease in pistachio production in 2019/2020; But this was despite the fact that the total export of pistachios in this country has increased by 235% compared to the previous year. It is interesting to know that this amount of difference in Turkey’s pistachio export corresponds to the increase in pistachio export from Iran to this country and its volume is equal to 6,894 tons (15.2 million pounds). These statistics show that the largest export of Iran’s pistachio product in 2019/2020 was to Turkey (more than the average pistachio export to this country in the last four years).
  • According to this article, from July 23, 2018 to July 22, 2019, Iran exported about 294 million pounds of pistachios, of which about 22.1 million pounds were exported to the United Arab Emirates and another 23.6 million pounds to Turkey.
  • This article also reports that despite the fact that Iran is known as the second largest exporter of pistachios to China; But its exports have decreased in the last three years.
  • According to this article, the export of pistachios from Iran to India has also suffered a sharp decline; So that its amount has reached 1,510 million tons (3.3 million pounds) from 4,871 million tons (10.7 million pounds) in 2018.
  • Considering the tariff war between the government of China and the United States, as well as the disruption of trade due to the spread of COVID-19 and the continuation of the pandemic, it is expected that Iran’s pistachio product will once again be able to resume competition in the Chinese market.
  • The following table can better show the status of Iran’s pistachio exports to the world from 2011 to 2019:

According to the chairman of the Iranian Pistachio Association, Mohammad Salehi, despite the fact that Iran’s pistachio trade has faced a slight decrease compared to last year; But the increase of customers can improve the situation of pistachio exports and the prosperity of its market.