California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to China

Associated Press

LOST HILLS, Calif. (AP) — California farmers have been devoting more land to pistachios, which are seen as hardier and more drought-tolerant in a state prone to dramatic swings in precipitation. The nut has surged over the past decade to become the state’s sixth-biggest agricultural commodity in value, generating nearly $3 billion last year. Industry experts say pistachio orchards can withstand drought better than some other crops and take less water per acre than the state’s biggest nut crop, almonds. Much of the crop is headed to China. But experts say Americans also are eating more pistachios, too.