NUTS

摘要

Pistachio prices have firmed up over recent months despite promised large crops from Iran and the US - plus substantial US carryover stocks from the previous season. Uneven sizes of American nuts from this year's crop contributed to the problem, mainly a rise in numbers of smaller kernels, causing delays and higher costs for US processing plants which are calibrated to standard sizes and unable to change their systems easily. Processors, not surprisingly, want to pass costs on in dearer prices to overseas customers. There have also been reports of some aflatoxin problems with the US crop which appears to be turning out closer to 410m Ib than the earlier estimate of 450m - although this would still be record large.