Speaking in a workshop in the city of Damghan, Semnan Province, aimed to promote the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) program, Feizi said that pistachios account for eight percent of the country's non-oil exports, adding that pistachio growing covers 450,000 hectares of gardens across the country, comprising about 67 percent of the world's pistachio gardens.

Turning to Semnan's pistachio production, he put the province's pistachio growing coverage at 13,900 hectares (of which 12,000 ha or 95%) is located in Damghan, adding, "Per hectare pistachio production in Semnan has reached five tons."