# Why are pistachios so expensive?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 18, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026 "2011-10-18T12:15:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026/41 "2012-10-18T16:51:39Z")

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> [@purplehorseshoe](#):
>
> The part I bolded - is there any market for it? Edible, yes … but does it taste good?

No, and no. As someone else noted, they perish quickly. The taste is tart and unremarkable. You can juice them, but you need to add so much sugar, you might as well juice something that already tastes good.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026/42 "2012-10-18T16:51:41Z")

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> [@CheeseDonkey](#):
>
> I’ve seen various answers on the interwebs, however they all seem to be from people acting like pseudo-experts who really have no idea what they’re talking about.

And then you came _HERE?_ 😃

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026/43 "2012-10-18T19:24:30Z")

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nm

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**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026/44 "2012-10-18T19:43:20Z")

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This doesn’t quite answer the question, but considering how damn good cashews and pistachios taste, I think we get them for a bargain.

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**Author:** ![Molotok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Molotok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molotok)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026/45 "2012-10-18T19:48:59Z")

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> [@drastic\_quench](#):
>
> No, and no. As someone else noted, they perish quickly. The taste is tart and unremarkable. You can juice them, but you need to add so much sugar, you might as well juice something that already tastes good.

You make it sound like Kool Aid.

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**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026/46 "2012-10-18T21:40:19Z")

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> [@Testy](#):
>
> stripping off all my clothes got me talked about a bit.

Is this something the ants did?

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026/47 "2012-10-18T21:52:14Z")

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Besides the low yield that makes prices high to start with, many of these crops were traditionally picked by very low wage workers who are no longer available.

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-pistachios-so-expensive/600026/48 "2012-10-18T22:31:07Z")

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It’s because of the Iranian nuclear program.

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