The CSIRO released the new variety, Sirora, in 1982, along with suitable pollinating males, paving the way for the establishment and redevelopment of commercial orchards – mostly in the Murray Valley region.
The region includes dry, inland irrigation areas along both sides of the Murray River from Swan Hill, in Victoria, and Kyalite, in New South Wales, to Pinnaroo and Loxton, in South Australia. The Riverina along the Murrumbidgee is developing as a pistachio growing region and there are smaller areas of pistachios in southern Western Australia. By 2023, there were about 40 growers with 1500 hectares in production, and another 20 growers with 1500 hectares of juvenile plantings.
The Pistachio Growers’ Association (PGA) was formed in 1985 to represent the growers of pistachio nuts in Australia, and to be involved in matters relevant to the industry. PGA is funded by the voluntary contributions of growers and administers the application of these funds towards research into pistachio production in Australia.
As the industry’s peak body, the PGA’s research committee has effectively run the research program since the 1990s when the committee was formed to address, and successfully resolve, an outbreak of bacterial dieback.