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The Ighani family company is a pioneer in the cultivation of pistachio production in Argentina and in recent years the work to promote the “green gold” of San Juan has yielded results.
Green Supplement DIARIO DE CUYO visited the greenhouse and the processing plant of the family business Pisté SRL in Rawson, founded by Marcelo Ighani, and spoke with the businesswoman Soledad Ighani, who stated: “Luckily this year Pisté has made an important leap in yields of Pistachio in cultivation, with a very good harvest last February and in the number of plants produced in our greenhouses, we have also made great progress, doubling the number of seedlings.
“Also this year we have had about 6,000 kilograms per hectare average throughout our extension. It has exceeded our expectations.”
But he indicated, “therefore this year we must be more careful in everything that is pruning and fertilization, so that the plant replenishes everything absorbed from the soil with such important fruiting. Do a stronger pruning at the same time as propping up nutrition.”
Let us remember that, in San Juan, the average yields of one hectare of pistachios according to the producers add up to 3,000 to 3,500 kilograms and in the case of the Ighani family, they add up to between 4,000 and 4,500 kilograms per hectare.
REASONS
Asked about the causes of these notable increases in productivity, Soledad indicated: “Every three years we do an important pruning. This year it was reflected in the harvest. So the trees take on an important strength and improve their yields. Last year we incorporated irrigation. by dripping and with it the fertigation system, improving plant nutrition “.
And he commented: “In our case, the pruning is done more manual and considering the dimensions of the farm we can do it manual and not mechanized, with what the care of the buds is more profound for the next years”.
“We have the first 50 hectares in full production. New extensions of a total of 180 own hectares already planted are being added to them,” the businesswoman said, adding: “In Pocito we have about 140 hectares in the Carpintería area. May 25 we have planted 40 hectares three years ago that have not yet entered full production “.
Pocito.
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NURSERY
Regarding the production of seedlings, the businesswoman stated: “We have been working very well. This year in our greenhouse we have germinated twice as many seeds from other years because since 2019 the demand, both from San Juan and Mendoza, has been sustained in expansion of pistachio surface or replacement of olive trees and the vine. There are also people from San Luis and other provinces who are encouraging to try and plant, which we advise for having been in this activity for 42 years “.
“This leads us to produce and supply some 70 to 80,000 plants per year to entrepreneurs in our region, inside and outside the province,” he said, adding: “People are hearing that it is a profitable fruit, with an ideal climate zone for its plantation and that although we must wait 4 to 5 years for its plantation, it is worth the wait “.
“A very important issue is the certification of the seed. Although today there are several greenhouses producing pistachio plants, not all of them do so with certified seeds from UCB1 and Pioneer Gold rootstocks. The results are seen over time when it is late. In our case, every year we import seeds from US greenhouses, certified by the University of Davis in California, and we work calmly. Grafting later on the farm gives us better results, “said soledad.
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Female gaze in the direction of Pisté
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Soledad Ighani, in addition to being a businesswoman, is the wife and mother of a family built by the hand of Nicolás Echegaray, another of the pillars of this family business created in 1980 by the architect Marcelo Ighani, pioneer and introducer of pistachio cultivation in Argentina from his native country. , Iran.
With thirty-six years old and two daughters of 10 and 7 years old, Federica and Ludovica, together with Nicolás, carry out the challenges of a crop, which like any agro-industrial activity, requires “the look of the master” 24 hours on 24 hours to be successful.
“In Pisté we bring the seeds from abroad, certified by the University of Davis in California and their respective phytosanitary certificate. Then they go through a fungicide treatment and are placed in a chamber with a certain temperature and humidity. There they germinate and when they release a few millimeters of root, we take them out one by one and take them to the greenhouse. “
In the greenhouse the macks with sand and peat substrate are waiting for them, “to start a fertilization plan, and in a month, month and a half they will be transplanted to the nursery where they spend the rest of the time until they are 6 months old, which can be taken to the field, when the height of the plant has reached about 60 centimeters high “, explains the producer.
For Soledad, “when a plant is 60 centimeters tall, it is optimal to be grafted.” And he adds: “Last year and this year we have worked with USB1 rootstock, brought from Arizona. Other years we have had Pioneer rootstock. Both feet are ideal for San Juan and to be able to graft them with the Kerman variety in the case of the females; and Peter who are the males. “
Asked about the investment required to grow pistachio in Argentina, she noted: “The cost of a plant today to the public is about U $ S 8 according to the amount and form of payment. We recommend a 6 x 4 meter plantation frame, which translates into a density of 330 plants per hectare “.
“We prefer to graft in the field,” said the businesswoman, adding later: “It is where we obtain a higher percentage of plant taking. From October to March we can graft. In December we can graft with green bud. Or else do it in March with dormant buds. “.
MARKET
“The pistachio is a product that is priced in dollars and being competitive due to the exchange difference, there is international demand and at the same time it allows us to substitute imports,” Soledad said, commenting: “We place everything in Argentina. consumption and therefore we cannot keep up with the demand. A year and a half ago we expanded the processing capacity by acquiring one more dryer, we expanded a three-size grader to supply a greater demand. “
THE PISTACHIOS IN NUMBERS
- 8 U $ S is the approximate cost of a pistachio plant today in this nursery in the Rawson department of the Ighani family.
- 330 is the plant density per hectare of pistachio nut forests. The planting frame is 6 x 4 meters.
- 10 U $ S is the approximate price per kilogram of the closed or shelled pistachio that is consumed as a salty and toasted snack.
- 19 is the average international price per kilogram of seed for gastronomic and pastry use whose demand is increasing.
- 4,500 hectares in San Juan are estimated to be cultivated with pistachios, both new and in full production, according to private estimates.
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