Paramount Farms International (Paramount), the largest pistachio processor in the world - processing 60% of California’s crop - predicts that U.S. commercial pistachio production will reach 1 billion pounds by 2018-2020. If their projection is realized, the pistachio industry will have grown from its first planting to a 1 billion pound a year industry in just 30 years. In order to reach a crop of 1 billion pounds the pistachio yield will need to increase by 10%-12% per year for the next 6-8 years consecutively. Paramount farms approximately 25% of California’s total acreage and contracts with 600 additional growers to process their pistachios. Pistachios have generated three times the net income for growers over almonds and walnuts in the last decade – earning $3,000 of net income per acre as opposed to $1,000 of net income per acre for almonds and walnuts. High quality soil can produce 4,000 pounds of pistachios per acre, while marginal soil can produce 3,000 pounds per acre. In the past three years Paramount has invested $25 million in their “Get Crackin’” ad campaign and household consumption of pistachios has increased from 16%-17% to 25%. Two thirds of Paramount’s pistachios are sold internationally. Sales to China have increased from 5 million pounds five years ago to 100 million pounds this year.