Why does the Bronte pistachio cost...?

Today we will finally explain why pistachios are so expensive compared to foreign pistachios.
He certainly does not know the work behind each grain.

FOREWORD

Let's start with the premise that in general, pistachios are an excellent source of nutrition with many beneficial substances, whether foreign or from Bronte.

The Bronte pistachio is certainly considered in the culinary world and among nutrition experts the best in the world. This is not by chance, but because of its unique qualities and organoleptic properties and nutritional richness.

SOIL AND CLIMATE CHARACTERISTICS

The pistachio grows in soil of lava origin, this is because the entire Bronte area was covered in the past by lava flows from Mount Etna. The lava flows made the Brontese soils deserted and uncultivated at first. Until, however, it was discovered that the only plant growing well and bearing precious fruit was the pistachio brought to Sicily by the Arabs.

So, from the magma that razed an entire territory to the ground came what is now the world-famous Bronte D.O.P. Green Pistachio. The climate of the Bronte area is characterised by a wide temperature range and precipitation with higher annual averages than in other agricultural areas in the province of Etna.

ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES of the Bronte Pistachio

Together, these factors give the fruit special quality characteristics such as its deep green colour, elongated shape, aromatic flavour and high content of monounsaturated fruit fatty acids, minerals, antioxidant B vitamins and many other substances https://www.my-personaltrainer.it/alimentazione/pistacchi-bronte.html

PRODUCTION

Moreover, the Bronte pistachio is very rare, as it accounts for only 0.8% of world production and the lava soils do not allow for the expansion of cultivation despite the high demand.

Another very important element that increases the cost of the product is the fact that the pistachio is harvested once every two years, which means that if the farmer can harvest and sell his pistachio this year, the following year he will still have to work the plant with weeding, pruning, irrigation, etc. but he will not harvest the “fruit”. Yes, because the Bronte pistachio plant takes a year off.

Bronte Pistachio Harvest

But that's not all! There are also other reasons why the Bronte pistachio is so expensive, including the way it is harvested and processed. The Bronte pistachio plants are exclusively processed by hand, starting with pruning, phytosanitary treatments, weeding, fertilisation, etc. All these steps cannot be carried out by agricultural means due to the steep terrain. Consequently, even the harvesting of the Bronte pistachios is done by hand, either by beating on nets or by grazing, using baskets, taking care to prevent the fruit from falling on the ground. Afterwards, the pistachios are always carried on the shoulders to be shredded (the soft outer husk is removed) mechanically and sorted with great care.

Once in the shell it must be immediately dried in the sun on nets or in special dryers where the pistachio loses further weight through drying. Drying spaces are therefore necessary, and it can be guessed that from the plant to the finished product, between shredding, drying and shelling, the pistachio loses a lot of weight. Here are some photos of the lava soils that those who work in the countryside and those who do not can empathise with the difficulty of working such soils.