FAO and Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture Hold Workshop to Promote Pistachio Health and Trade
Tehran – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture have jointly organized a specialized workshop entitled “Pistachio Health and Trade: Navigating Sanitary, Phytosanitary, and Trade Standards” in Tehran. The workshop will continue until April 16th (Farvardin 27th).
The event brings together 75 key stakeholders from the pistachio value chain to enhance their knowledge of international food health and trade frameworks, including Codex Alimentarius standards and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures. The workshop also addresses topics such as aflatoxin risk management, pesticide residue control, and product traceability systems.
The workshop is led by an international FAO food safety expert, a leading global authority in the field of food health and trade.
At the opening ceremony, Nazi Tavakoli, Assistant FAO Representative, emphasized the importance of complying with international food health standards to maintain and expand Iran’s pistachio exports.
She identified mycotoxin contamination, particularly aflatoxins, as a major challenge for pistachio exports, influenced by climatic conditions, agricultural practices, harvesting methods, storage, and warehousing.
She further stated that Iran has made significant progress by promoting good agricultural practices, improving post-harvest management, and strengthening aflatoxin testing infrastructure. Training and empowering stakeholders across the pistachio value chain are essential to sustaining these achievements.
The workshop is being held within the framework of the FAO’s Technical Cooperation Project entitled “Improving Pistachio Production and Export through the Establishment of Integrated Crop Management.”
Launched in 2024, this project aims to improve the integrated management of the pistachio supply chain, focusing on increasing productivity, improving harvesting and processing, and complying with food safety regulations. By promoting efficient and inclusive practices throughout the supply chain, the project seeks to ensure sustainable pistachio production and consumption, contributing to nutrition and food security, economic growth, and enhanced global competitiveness.
