The organic pistachio in Spain and its cultivation

The organic pistachio in Spain

Why is it a future opportunity?

It is becoming increasingly common to see a pistachio plantation while driving along a road in Spain. However, there are still many doubts about organic pistachio production. In this article, we explain everything you need to know about organic pistachio production in our country.

If you want to know more about pistachios in general, then we recommend you take a look at our article: Everything about pistachios in 15 minutes!

What is organic pistachio?

Firstly, it is important to understand what an organic product is.

In the European Union, organic products must comply with the provisions of the Regulation (EU) 2018/848.

The characteristics that distinguish organic products from conventional ones are as follows:

✅ They are produced without using chemical products.

✅ They do not contain genetically modified organisms (GMO).

✅ They apply practices that conserve the environment in which they are produced.

✅ They are certified by an official body.

✅ They are subject to periodic controls, from the producer to the packager.

In the case of pistachios, organic pistachios must be certified from the moment they are a plant sold in a nursery until they are packaged and marketed. All of this must comply with the aforementioned requirements.

If a plant is not organic, it can be converted to organic if conventional products are replaced with organic ones. This process takes between 3 and 5 years.

How to recognize an authentic organic pistachio?

For a product to be considered organic within the EU, it is essential that it has been certified by an official body. These bodies vary depending on the autonomous community where the product is produced.

The certification is the element that guarantees the consumer that the product they are consuming meets all the requirements expected of an organic product. Hence the importance of the certifying entity being independent of the producer.

Organic products can be easily distinguished thanks to the following elements:

? European organic product logo

? The control body code (Example: ES-ECO-123-CLM)

? The origin of the raw materials

To correctly recognize an organic product, it is enough to review the logo and the product code. Certifying bodies are responsible for sanctioning companies that use these logos without authorization, guaranteeing their legitimacy.

It is important not to be misled by other ecological logos distinct from the official one. Only the official logo guarantees that the product is truly organic.

On the left, the official logo endorsed by the European Union. To its right, a generic logo.

Only the official logo guarantees an organic product.

Organic pistachio vs conventional. Key differences.

In the specific case of pistachios, there are a number of concrete differences that distinguish conventional pistachios from organic ones. You can consult them in detail in the following table:

Conventional

May be a GMO

Contains traces of chemical products

Soil fertilized synthetically

Moderate environmental impact

Organic

? Never a GMO

? Free of chemical products

? Soil fertilized organically

? Very low or neutral environmental impact

All of this does not imply that conventional pistachio is bad for health. All chemical inputs and GMOs must be studied and approved to guarantee their safety for the consumer.

The main difference is that organic pistachio has a much lower impact on our ecosystem and climate change.

Cultivation management and input usage

From an agronomic point of view, the management of an organic pistachio plantation is very similar. The only difference is the active materials authorized in this type of plantation.

While pruning, shaping, tillage, or harvesting remain identical, treatment and fertilization plans must be modified.