Iran Pistachio ban aids California growers

California growers will have the domestic market to themselves.
Posted at 09:35 PM on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010
By Robert Rodriguez / The Fresno Bee Share

US ban on Iranian pistachios helps Calif. farmers

California farmers may be the big beneficiaries of a U.S. ban on Iranian pistachios that began Wednesday.
President Barack Obama signed the ban on July 1 in response to Iran's nuclear policies. It went into effect as California's farmers were in the midst of their harvest.
The United States and Iran have been vying for the title of No. 1 pistachio producer. California, which grows more than 95 percent of U.S. pistachios, has doubled acreage devoted to the nut in the past decade. Bad weather in Iran also has helped put the U.S. in the top spot in the past couple of years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

California farmers may be the big beneficiaries of a U.S. ban on Iranian pistachios that began Wednesday.
President Barack Obama signed the ban on July 1 in response to Iran's nuclear policies. It went into effect as California's farmers were in the midst of their harvest.
The United States and Iran have been vying for the title of No. 1 pistachio producer. California, which grows more than 95 percent of U.S. pistachios, has doubled acreage devoted to the nut in the past decade. Bad weather in Iran also has helped put the U.S. in the top spot in the past couple of years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


■Specialty crop grants to help Valley growers

California specialty-crop growers got a $17 million boost Friday from the federal government for projects aimed at improving food safety, increasing consumer awareness and developing new food products.
The money -- part of the federal 2008 Farm Bill -- will fund 64 diverse projects benefiting growers of fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit and nursery crops.
Nationwide, $55 million was awarded to states, with California receiving the largest share.

■Valley cotton growers respond to growing demand

California cotton is making a comeback.
This year, acreage for the state's two primary varieties -- upland and the longer fiber pima -- grew by 76% and 59% respectively after decades of decline.
Growing worldwide demand, weak prices for competing crops and an ailing dairy economy helped push growers back into cotton, an agricultural mainstay for San Joaquin Valley farmers.

■USDA numbers show Idaho had record potato crop

New figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show the value of Idaho's potato crop reached a record $855 million last year.
That's an increase of nearly $22 million from 2008, according to the report the USDA released Thursday.
Idaho Potato Commission President Frank Muir told the Idaho State Journal that the record value shows that 2009 had a positive ending for growers, despite challenges caused by price slumps and high yields.

The U.S. has shut its doors to Iranian pistachios, much to the delight of California nut growers.

The embargo takes effect Sept. 29 and blocks Iran from shipping any pistachios to the United States.

Iran had been importing an average of 262,000 pounds of pistachios into the U.S. since 2000. And in the past 12 months, as many as 1 million pounds were imported.

The pistachio ban was part of a package of sanctions issued by the U.S. against Iran over its nuclear program. The legislation was signed by President Barack Obama on July 1.

Richard Matoian, executive director of the Fresno-based Western Pistachio Association, welcomed the embargo.

Over the past two decades, U.S. pistachio growers -- a majority who farm in the San Joaquin Valley -- have chipped away at Iran's dominance in the foreign and domestic marketplace.

In the mid-1980s, Iran's total U.S. imports rivaled that of the entire U.S. crop of 27 million pounds.

But growing interest in the nut by California farmers, coupled with well-funded marketing campaigns, boosted the nut's popularity.

By 2008, U.S. pistachio growers produced a 278 million pound crop, overtaking Iran as the world's largest grower.

These days, about 75% of the U.S. pistachio crop is exported, and the remainder was sold domestically.

Matoian said this isn't the first time the U.S. has blocked Iranian pistachios. When the U.S. Embassy employees were taken hostage in Iran in 1979, President Jimmy Carter imposed an embargo on Iranian products, including pistachios.

The embargo was lifted in 1981 but others would follow, including from 1987 to 2000 during the Iraq-Iranian war.

In March 2000, the Clinton administration lifted the ban, believing progress was being made in Iran.

Kern County pistachio grower Brian Blackwell said the lack of competitors will help California pistachio farmers.

"This is a benefit to us, but a lot still depends on what demand is and what supply will be," Blackwell said.

This year's crop is estimated at 360 million pounds, a large portion of which is destined for overseas markets in Europe and China.

The reporter can be reached at brodriguez@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6327.

Read more: Iran Pistachos

Iran pistachio ban aids Calif. growers
California growers will have the domestic market to themselves.
Posted at 09:35 PM on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010
By Robert Rodriguez / The Fresno Bee Share

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■US ban on Iranian pistachios helps Calif. farmers

California farmers may be the big beneficiaries of a U.S. ban on Iranian pistachios that began Wednesday.
President Barack Obama signed the ban on July 1 in response to Iran's nuclear policies. It went into effect as California's farmers were in the midst of their harvest.
The United States and Iran have been vying for the title of No. 1 pistachio producer. California, which grows more than 95 percent of U.S. pistachios, has doubled acreage devoted to the nut in the past decade. Bad weather in Iran also has helped put the U.S. in the top spot in the past couple of years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


■US ban on Iranian pistachios helps Calif. farmers

California farmers may be the big beneficiaries of a U.S. ban on Iranian pistachios that began Wednesday.
President Barack Obama signed the ban on July 1 in response to Iran's nuclear policies. It went into effect as California's farmers were in the midst of their harvest.
The United States and Iran have been vying for the title of No. 1 pistachio producer. California, which grows more than 95 percent of U.S. pistachios, has doubled acreage devoted to the nut in the past decade. Bad weather in Iran also has helped put the U.S. in the top spot in the past couple of years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


■Specialty crop grants to help Valley growers

California specialty-crop growers got a $17 million boost Friday from the federal government for projects aimed at improving food safety, increasing consumer awareness and developing new food products.
The money -- part of the federal 2008 Farm Bill -- will fund 64 diverse projects benefiting growers of fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit and nursery crops.
Nationwide, $55 million was awarded to states, with California receiving the largest share.


■Valley cotton growers respond to growing demand

California cotton is making a comeback.
This year, acreage for the state's two primary varieties -- upland and the longer fiber pima -- grew by 76% and 59% respectively after decades of decline.
Growing worldwide demand, weak prices for competing crops and an ailing dairy economy helped push growers back into cotton, an agricultural mainstay for San Joaquin Valley farmers.


■USDA numbers show Idaho had record potato crop

New figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show the value of Idaho's potato crop reached a record $855 million last year.
That's an increase of nearly $22 million from 2008, according to the report the USDA released Thursday.
Idaho Potato Commission President Frank Muir told the Idaho State Journal that the record value shows that 2009 had a positive ending for growers, despite challenges caused by price slumps and high yields.

The U.S. has shut its doors to Iranian pistachios, much to the delight of California nut growers.

The embargo takes effect Sept. 29 and blocks Iran from shipping any pistachios to the United States.

Iran had been importing an average of 262,000 pounds of pistachios into the U.S. since 2000. And in the past 12 months, as many as 1 million pounds were imported.

The pistachio ban was part of a package of sanctions issued by the U.S. against Iran over its nuclear program. The legislation was signed by President Barack Obama on July 1.

Richard Matoian, executive director of the Fresno-based Western Pistachio Association, welcomed the embargo.

"Having the domestic market literally to yourself is important to our growers," Matoian said.

Over the past two decades, U.S. pistachio growers -- a majority who farm in the San Joaquin Valley -- have chipped away at Iran's dominance in the foreign and domestic marketplace.

In the mid-1980s, Iran's total U.S. imports rivaled that of the entire U.S. crop of 27 million pounds.

But growing interest in the nut by California farmers, coupled with well-funded marketing campaigns, boosted the nut's popularity.

By 2008, U.S. pistachio growers produced a 278 million pound crop, overtaking Iran as the world's largest grower.

These days, about 75% of the U.S. pistachio crop is exported, and the remainder was sold domestically.

Matoian said this isn't the first time the U.S. has blocked Iranian pistachios. When the U.S. Embassy employees were taken hostage in Iran in 1979, President Jimmy Carter imposed an embargo on Iranian products, including pistachios.

The embargo was lifted in 1981 but others would follow, including from 1987 to 2000 during the Iraq-Iranian war.

In March 2000, the Clinton administration lifted the ban, believing progress was being made in Iran.

Kern County pistachio grower Brian Blackwell said the lack of competitors will help California pistachio farmers.

"This is a benefit to us, but a lot still depends on what demand is and what supply will be," Blackwell said.

This year's crop is estimated at 360 million

Iran's population is young
EXCERPT:
Twenty-three years after the revolution that brought an Islamic government to power, Iran may once again be on the brink of change. More than two thirds of Iran's 65 million people are under the age of 30. They are educated and familiar with the West's freedoms and opportunities. Increasingly, this younger generation is demanding political and social freedom.

Iran TV urges boyIran TV urges boycott of 'Zionist' products

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran has launched a major campaign urging consumers to stop buying "Zionist" products, ranging from Coca-Cola and Pepsi soft drinks, to Calvin Klein clothing and Nestle food products.

"Pepsi stands for 'Pay Each Penny to Save Israel", viewers in the Islamic republic have been warned in an oft-repeated three-minute infomercial on state television, prompted by Israel's ongoing assault against the Palestinian territories and Lebanon.

"Zionists are the biggest shareholders in the soft drinks industry, and each year they make billions of dollars for their colonialist aims," consumers with a thirst for fizz have been told.
Coca-Cola is also not left unscathed by the new twist to the cola wars.

"This firm openly supports Israel and has even said that it is ready to allocate great deal of money to topple the Islamic republic," state television said.
Both Pepsi and Coca-Cola have factories in Iran, although state television gave no indication over whether their operations would be affected.

A popular British high-street retailer, as well as a number of multinational firms, were also singled out for their links to the alleged international Jewish conspiracy to control the world.
"Marks and Spencer has very close relations with the Israeli regime and one its primary aims is to help the development of the Israeli economy," the infomercial claimed.
"Nestle is a Swiss food processing firm which in 2000 announced that it will invest millions of dollars in Israel to build a factory there," it added, while neglecting to mention that Nestle also has a factory in Iran.
The world's largest chip maker Intel was also branded as "one of Israel's biggest supporters".
"Its first overseas branch was set up in Haifa in 1974. In 2000 it employed more that 4,000 Israelis. Its top managers have said that they are going to invest 6.5 billion dollars in Israel," would-be Intel customers have been told.
"McDonalds, Timberland, Revlon, Garnier, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and L'Oreal are only some of the firms which belong to the Zionist regime," state television said, before taking a swipe at what it said were less vigilant Arab nations.
"Unfortunately most of the streets of Arab nations are filled with commercials which advertise Israeli products. For each purchase, the money is converted into bullets piercing the chests of the Lebanese and Palestinian kids," it fumed.
Iran's hardline Islamic leadership fiercely objects to the very existence of Israel, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calling for the Jewish state to be "wiped off the map" or moved elsewhere on the planet.

The head of Iran's parliament, Gholam Ali Hadad-Adel, on Tuesday also branded Israel a "filthy tumor in the body of the Islamic world".
Tehran has also been accused of providing financial and military support to its fellow Shiites in Lebanon's Hezbollah as well as the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

But the regime continues to insists that it only gives "moral" support, and has in recent days decorated Tehran's streets with huge posters of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

"The Islamic republic of Iran has never interfered in Syrian and Lebanese internal affairs. Our support is only moral," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi repeated to the ISNA news agency Wednesday.

State television meanwhile announced Iran's Red Crescent was sending its first consignment of humanitarian aid to Lebanon -- a 60-tonne consignment of rice, sugar, beans, date, tents and sleeping bags.
cott of zionist products