In-shell pistachios

In 2025, exports of pistachios were worth a total US$5.2 billion.

Exported pistachios grew by 33.5% from 5 years earlier in 2021 when export sales for pistachios were worth $3.9 billion.

Year over year, overall export revenues rose 8.2% compared to $4.8 billion in 2025 for the smoothly textured and slightly sweet seed.

More than half (51.2%) of globally exported pistachios were in-shell compared to 48.8% sold with their shells removed (up from 40.4% for 2024).

Pistachios seeds come from the fruits of small desert trees highly tolerant of salt-water soil. The shells of the pistachio are often dyed from their natural beige color to a distinctive red or green for commercial sale.

Consumers eat pistachios raw or roasted and salted. Pistachio nuts are key ingredients in special varieties of ice cream, spumoni, pistachio butter and pastes. Shelled pistachios are also the chopped nuts in the layered pastry dessert Baklava, and are used to make pistachio chocolate, biscotti and cold cuts like mortadella. In the United States, pistachio salad is made with fresh pistachios or pistachio pudding, whipped cream and canned fruit.

By value, the 5 biggest exporters of pistachios are the United States of America, Iran, Türkiye, Belgium and Germany. Combined, that subset of major suppliers sold 80.6% of all pistachios sold on international markets during 2025.

Applying a continental lens, exporters in North America (mostly the United States) supplied the highest dollar worth of exported pistachios during 2025 with shipments valued at $2.33 billion or 50.1% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (34.4%) trailed by competitors in Europe (15.1%), Oceania (0.3%) mostly Australia, Africa (0.01%), then those in Latin America (also 0.01%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.

Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of pistachios in 2025 were Germany, Italy, Vietnam, Türkiye and mainland China. Collectively, that quintet of top import countries bought almost half (48.8%) of globally imported pistachios as measured by dollar value.

The above percentages suggest the total 83 nations that exported pistachios (80.6% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to about 175 buying countries, islands and territories. At 48.8%, the top 5 importers accounted for a much smaller share of its world total for imported pistachios compared to the leading exporters.

As for global imports of pistachios by continent, 48.8% of pistachios purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe ahead of importers in Asia (46.2%), Africa (1.9%), North America (1.8%), Latin America (0.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (also 0.6%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080251 for fresh or dried pistachios in shell, and 080252 for fresh or dried shelled pistachios.

By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 98.4% of globally exported pistachios in 2025.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing pistachios exporters since 2024 were: Moldova (up 4,360%), mainland China (up 247.2%), Hong Kong (up 156%) and Greece (up 90.8%).

Those countries that posted year-over-year declines in their exported pistachios sales were led by: Vietnam (down -49.4%), Australia (down -31.2%), United Arab Emirates (down -24%), Syria (down -21.7%) and Iran (down -11.4%).

Overall spending of $5.38 billion in 2025 on imported pistachios accelerated by 101.7% over the 5-year period starting from $3.56 billion in 2021 and increased by a 14.5% year-over-year advance compared to $4.7 billion for 2024.

Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of pistachios imported during 2025, for any pistachios regardless of whether shelled or not.

By value, the listed 20 countries bought 85.9% of globally imported pistachios in 2025.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing pistachios importers since 2024 were: Syria (up 347.4%), Hong Kong (up 143.7%), Vietnam (up 99.4%) and Italy (up 76.6%).

Those countries that posted year-over-year declines in their imported pistachios purchases were: mainland China (down -65.5%), United Arab Emirates (down -18.4%), Saudi Arabia (down -17.3%) and India (down -3.7%).

In 2025, the world’s average unit price for imported in-shell pistachios was US$7,922 per ton. That dollar metric results from 17.4% in inflation from the average $6,746 per ton for 2024.

The average tonnage charge in 2025 for the number one importer of unshelled pistachios, Vietnam, was modestly below average at $7,496.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported in-shell pistachios in 2025.

Double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for in-shell pistachios were recorded by low-cost importers in Russia (down -85.1% from 2024), Kenya (down -44.4%), Cambodia (down -20.8%) and Jamaica (down -14.3%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported in-shell pistachios.

In 2025, the world’s average unit price for imported shelled pistachios was an estimated US$15,817 per ton. That dollar average is much higher than that for unshelled versions, caused in part due to labor costs.

The average unit price for shelled pistachio imports inflated by 24.5% compared to $12,706 per ton for 2024.

The average tonnage charged for the number one importer of shelled pistachios, Italy, was higher at $17,677.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported shelled pistachios in 2025.

Posting the severest price declines were Tanzania (down -83.4% from 2024), Jamaica (down -46.5%), Bahamas (down -45.1%), Kazakhstan (down -38.9%) and Mozambique (down -8.3%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported shelled pistachios.

The greatest inflation for shelled pistachio average unit prices paid were recorded for buyers in: Papua New Guinea (up 420.8% from 2024), Bahrain (up 280.6%), Qatar (up 276.9%), Montenegro (123.3%) then Croatia (up 55.3%).

See also Top Peanuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Almonds Exporters by Country, Top Walnut Exporters by Country, Top Cashews Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Hazelnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Brazil Nuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Chestnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Pistachio Showroom. Accessed on June 29, 2026

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 29, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 29, 2026

Wikipedia, Pistachio. Accessed on June 29, 2026