Ernesto Tardio. CEO Solagro
What is Solagro and what is its connection to the pistachio sector?
Solagro is a multidisciplinary engineering company and the leading agri-food innovation hub in Castilla-La Mancha for key sectors such as olive oil, wine, and, very prominently, pistachios. We act as strategic partners for cooperatives and industries, applying advanced engineering, strategic planning, and disruptive methodologies such as collaborative digital environments and BIM technology to design efficient and sustainable plants. We work with highly specialized multidisciplinary teams, delivering major competitive advantages and significant cost savings to our more than 90 clients, including cooperatives and industrial operators.
Our connection to pistachios is total and a clear leader on the ground: we have designed and promoted 14 processing plants, including large-scale benchmark projects in the sector such as Pistamancha and Nature Pistachio. In addition, we are the creators and promoters of the PISTADICA forums through our Canal Dica platform, an online ecosystem where we connect producers and professionals to share innovation and knowledge about this crop.
Do you think there is excessive optimism in the sector?
There is justified enthusiasm due to the profitability and potential of the crop, but this optimism must be accompanied by rigorous industrial planning downstream. Planting is only the first step; the real challenge—and where the sector’s viability is decided—is in the processing phase, always taking market needs into account.
If the growth in cultivated hectares is not accompanied by a serious strategy to properly size industrial reception and processing capacity, we risk creating a bottleneck that will penalize producers. Optimism is good, but a cool head in industrial investment is essential.
What risks do you currently see in the rapid expansion of new processing plants?
The main technical risk we identify at Solagro is the incorrect sizing of the drying phase, a critical stage where the final quality and preservation of the pistachio are at stake. Designing a plant without accurately forecasting input flows and analyzing process critical points can ruin the product.
This is compounded by a serious structural issue: the lack of skilled labor to operate these industries. For this reason, from an engineering standpoint, we emphasize that automation, digitalization, and the design of intuitive and efficient plants are the only way to mitigate the shortage of technical staff in rural areas.
Is there sufficient commercial structure to absorb all the future production expected in Spain?
Currently, the commercial network is very fragmented, and that is a dangerous drawback. Spain urgently needs to move toward concentration and aggregation of supply. Only by joining forces through large cooperatives, second-tier cooperatives, or Agrarian Transformation Societies (SATs) will we have the financial strength, volume, and negotiating capacity needed to face the most demanding international markets.
5. What differences do you see between the Spanish pistachio model and the U.S. model?
E.T.: The difference lies in scale and approach. The U.S. model (California) is based on macro-industrialization, huge volumes, and a highly standardized market managed by large irrigation-focused investment funds. The Spanish model, however, is built on medium-sized farms with a significant presence of rainfed agriculture and efficient irrigation systems. But our key differentiating advantage is quality. Spanish pistachios have far superior organoleptic properties, flavor, and perceived value compared to American ones. We cannot compete with the U.S. in volume, but we can outperform them in value and exclusivity if we defend that quality in premium markets.
6. Is the agri-food sector ready to face sustainability and water consumption challenges?
E.T.: It will be, if it adopts the right technology. At Solagro, we demonstrate that sustainability is not a statement of intent, but a consequence of applied engineering. We master the critical points of the process and are studying the implementation of groundbreaking technologies: replacing traditional methods with dry peeling and eliminating flotation tanks through artificial vision supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI). With this technological shift and AI, we can reduce water consumption in processing plants by up to 50%.
In addition, sustainability is circular. We are currently involved in an Operational Group focused on reusing pistachio waste, researching how the fruit’s hull, through specific treatment, can be transformed into a high-value resource for entirely different uses, such as flooring or sports field conditioning.
7. What currently worries you most about the future of pistachios?
E.T.: My biggest concern for the next 5 to 10 years is that the sector may fail to make the definitive leap toward digital professionalization, along with achieving sufficient quality volume to position itself in value-driven markets.
If we do not achieve radical efficiency in internal pistachio processing, our smaller global production volume will work against us. Given that we handle less quantity globally, our only defense is to be the most efficient in the world in processing through flawless digitalization. Without digitalization, we will lose competitiveness at a macro level and the sector will suffer.
8. What real impact can a World Pistachio Congress have on positioning Spain in the international market?
E.T.: The impact will be historic. Choosing Toledo as the host city is absolutely correct and agronomically justified, since Castilla-La Mancha accounts for more than 80% of Spain’s pistachio plantations thanks to its excellent climate and soil conditions.
Hosting this event “at home” firmly places us on the world map as a key hub and consolidates pistachio as a highly strategic crop for our region. The message Spain must send to powers like the U.S., Iran, or Turkey at this congress is clear: we may have less quantity, but our quality is unbeatable.
The World Pistachio Congress will be the ultimate showcase for the global market to learn to value—and pay for—the price premium that Spanish pistachios deserve.
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