The Pistachio Sector Committee of Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias Castilla-La Mancha has estimated the region's 2026 pistachio production at 8,054 tonnes, representing a 27% decline compared with the nearly 11,000 tonnes estimated for the previous season.
The forecast was discussed yesterday during the Committee's meeting, where it was noted that the addition of 7,765 new hectares entering production has not been sufficient to offset the effects of alternate bearing, particularly pronounced in the Kerman variety following last year's exceptional harvest.
The crop has also been affected by late-March frosts, which primarily damaged orchards in the provinces of Ciudad Real and Albacete, with the Larnaka variety suffering the greatest impact.
According to the Committee's spokesperson, Ignacio Lobato, "the crop is running between one and two weeks ahead of its normal vegetative cycle this year, meaning that harvesting is also expected to begin earlier than in previous seasons."
Regarding the crop's phytosanitary status, Lobato explained that "conditions are very favourable, as no significant pest or disease problems have been detected so far that could jeopardise production. Weather conditions have also supported proper crop development, apart from isolated hail damage in some areas, allowing us to anticipate a harvest of excellent quality."
One of the most notable features of this season is the considerable variation in yields between orchards, including plantations established in the same year.
According to the Committee, this confirms the influence of factors such as cultivar, soil and climatic conditions, agronomic management practices, and the crop's natural alternate-bearing cycle.
The area planted with pistachios in Castilla-La Mancha reached 68,311 hectares in 2025, of which 24,164 hectares are already in production. Of these, 17,848 hectares are rain-fed and 6,316 hectares are irrigated.
This represents a 47% increase in productive area compared with the previous year, when 16,399 hectares were estimated to be in production, highlighting the continued expansion of pistachio cultivation across the region.
Lobato estimates that around 40% of the regional production is organic pistachios, making Castilla-La Mancha the leading organic pistachio-producing region in Spain and positioning it as a global benchmark for organic pistachio production.
According to Lobato, this leadership reflects both the growing consumer demand for organic pistachios and the commitment of farmers in Castilla-La Mancha to sustainable and environmentally friendly production systems.
Despite expecting a smaller crop in terms of volume, the Pistachio Sector Committee believes that the anticipated high quality of this year's harvest, together with the expected more than 40% decline in production in the United States and Iran, according to the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), will further strengthen the position of Castilla-La Mancha pistachios as a benchmark product in both domestic and international markets.
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