Executive Summary:

Pistachio production is increasing in Syria due to the maturing of planted trees that are still relatively young. Drought was a problem for pistachio orchards in 2008, which are mainly grown under rain fed conditions.

Good rainfall in the pistachio planted areas in the spring of 2009 had a positive impact on the crop size. Prices for locally produced green pistachios went up in 2008, but are expected to go slightly down in 2009 with help from a good crop and with official approval to import in shell pistachios.

This may be evident during the peak production season around the middle of September. Prices for shelled pistachios are increasing mainly due to inflation. Arabic sweets prices have increased due to higher prices of ingredients, mainly flour, sugar, butter ghee and pistachios (which are the main ingredients) in 2008, but the prices did not go back down in 2009 with the lower prices for ingredients.

Syria exports green pistachios during the production season and imports shelled and in shell pistachios the rest of the year. In June 2008, imports of in shell pistachios were permitted for the first time in many years.

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