Rafsanjan County Ahmad-Aghaei Pistachio Producers | Iranco
Long Pistachio trade grade, 22–32 ounce matrix, kernel & roasting chain and 21-operator directory from RPPC to Ajix and Agah terminal
B2B guide to Rafsanjan Ahmad-Aghaei — Long Pistachio morphology, export grades, kernel/roasting value chain, RSEZ & industrial-park map, and 21 listed processors, terminals and brokers.
Ahmad-Aghaei (Long Pistachio) in Rafsanjan’s global hub
Ahmad-Aghaei (Pistacia vera cv. Ahmad-Aghaei) is among Iran’s benchmark almond-shaped, elongated cultivars, native to Rafsanjan County orchards. Traded internationally as “Long Pistachio”, it combines bright ivory shells, purple-red kernels, 90%+ natural split under good nutrition, and a shorter bloom window than Ohudi or Akbari — ideal for in-shell export and long kernel/sliver processing.
Ahmad-Aghaei product chain
| Product line | Process / trait | Target market |
|---|---|---|
| Natural split | Drying <5%; optical sort | Gulf, EU gift, retail luxury |
| Water-split | Heat–ice shock on closed nuts | India, CIS, Iraq |
| Green kernel | Early August harvest | French pastry, Japan, chocolate |
| Long slivers | Ripe elongated kernel | Confectionery, HORECA |
| Paste & butter | Colloid mill, no additives | Ice cream, breakfast |
| Flavoured roast | Drum roast, saffron, lemon, BBQ | Nut shops, MAP retail |
Commercial quality grades (count per 28.35 g)
| Grade | Ounce | Traits / use | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super luxury hand-pick | 22–24 | 100% split, flawless shell | Gulf, EU luxury |
| Export Grade A | 24–26 | >98% split, <1% blanks | EU, Russia, UAE |
| Commercial | 26–28 | Standard snack/industrial | India, China, CIS |
| Economy | 28–32 | Price-led retail, bulk | India, Iraq, Afghanistan |
| Industrial | 32+ | Cracking, powder, slivers | Bakery, chocolate |
Processing ecosystem & geographic nodes
| Belt | Role | Infrastructure | Anchor firms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rafsanjan RSEZ (km 20) | Deep processing, export | Customs, climate stores | Ajix, Kimiyay Sabz |
| Industrial Parks 1 & 2 | MAP pack, flexo print | N₂ lines, X-ray | Aria plant, Arya factory |
| Nuq / Kashkuieh orchards | Wet intake <24 h | Mechanised terminals | Molashafei, farms |
| Ahmadabad / Eslamabad | Mega hulling | Triple wash lines | Agah, Amin Padidar |
| Urban trading core | Price discovery, bulk | Saadi, Moin, Motahhari | Brokers |
Processing path: orchard to export pack
Wet intake & primary dehulling
Fresh crop into terminals; hulling and washing within 24 h of harvest to limit aflatoxin risk.
Split vs closed-shell streams
Separate lines for natural in-shell export, water-split or kernel cracking.
Drying to export moisture
Kernel moisture below 5% before optical/mechanical sorting.
Ounce calibration & sorting
Screen counts, colour cameras, mechanical shell defect removal.
Optional flavour roasting
Rotary drums, vacuum spray — salted, saffron, lemon, herbal blends.
Export packing
200–500 g vacuum, 5–10 kg cartons, nitrogen MAP for EU buyers.
Plants, exporters & holdings
| Unit / brand | Location | Activity | Products | Export |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rafsanjan Pistachio Producers Cooperative (RPPC)Brand: RPPC | 22 Bahman Sq. | Large-scale processing, sort, pack, export | Ahmad-Aghaei core; Akbari, kaleh ghoochi, kernels | Premium markets |
| Dorsa Kavir Rafsanjan Co.Brand: Dookara | Shahid Mohammadi Blvd. | Optical sort, mechanised pack, export | Ahmad-Aghaei 22–28 Grade A | Export active |
| Amin Padidar Co.Brand: Amin Farms | Km 30 Anar road (Ahmadabad) | Mega terminal, optical sort, export | Premium Ahmad-Aghaei, kernels | Premium markets |
| Rashin Kavir Rafsanjan Co.Brand: Ajix | RSEZ (km 20 Kerman road) | Roasting, export packing | Raw & flavoured Ahmad-Aghaei | Export active |
| Falat Pistachio Export RafsanjanBrand: Falat | Central district offices | Sort, pack, export | Multi-grade Ahmad-Aghaei | Export active |
| Kimiyay Sabz Rafsanjan HoldingBrand: Kimiyay Sabz | Imam Reza Sq. | Quality lab, export network | Export premium Ahmad-Aghaei | Export active |
| Arad Pistachio Rafsanjan Co. | Rafsanjan trading offices | Lot sort, pack, direct export | Hand-picked export Ahmad-Aghaei | Export active |
| Aryapart Rafsanjan Sepehr Co.Brand: Pesteh Rafsanjan | Moin Timcheh | Brokerage, retail pack, e-commerce | Raw & salted Ahmad-Aghaei | Domestic bulk |
| Aria Pistachio Rafsanjan Co.Brand: ariapeste.ir | Saadi St. | Flavouring, roasting, export | Saffron, salted, BBQ Ahmad-Aghaei | Export active |
| Abtab Pistachio Rafsanjan Co.Brand: abtabpistachio.com | Industrial park / warehouses | Kernel lines, pack, export | Premium Ahmad-Aghaei, kernels | Export active |
| Pasargad Pistachio Trading Rafsanjan | Workshop belt | Vacuum pack, export | Packed Ahmad-Aghaei grades | Export active |
| Green Diamond Farm Rafsanjan Co. | Central county lands | Farm-to-pack, sort, export | Sorted Ahmad-Aghaei | Export active |
| Arya Pistachio Plant (Nahal Pistachio) | Industrial Park 1 | Optical sort, hygienic pack | Processed Ahmad-Aghaei packs | Export active |
| Afaq Rafsanjan Packing Co.Brand: Merix | Industrial park | Long kernel, metallised film | Ahmad-Aghaei kernel packs | Domestic bulk |
| Gohar Pistachio Trading Rafsanjan | Central trading offices | Brokerage, kernel export | Raw Ahmad-Aghaei & kernels | Export active |
Hulling terminals, brokers & support units
| Unit | Activity | Products | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agah Pistachio Processing Terminal | Wet hulling, wash, dryers | Ahmad-Aghaei & regional cultivars | Eslamabad Herandi |
| Amiri Pistachio Hulling Terminal | Dehull, wash, mechanical dry | Ahmad-Aghaei from Aliabad belt | Aliabad Enghelab road |
| Molashafei Terminal (Kashkuieh) | Local wet processing | Kashkuieh Ahmad-Aghaei | Kashkuieh district |
| Rafsanjan Pistachio Wholesale (Nouri/Sadeghi) | Bulk brokerage | Raw & roasted Ahmad-Aghaei | Motahhari & Nouri Blvd. |
| Green Pistachio Rafsanjan Shop | Workshop sort, nationwide ship | Hand-picked Ahmad-Aghaei | Sattarkhan St. |
| Meysam Zeinali Pistachio Trade Center | Forward buy, storage, Tehran supply | Bulk Ahmad-Aghaei 24–28 | Motahhari–Fakouri junction |
Chain dynamics, regulation & markets
Groundwater salinity and drought raise closed-shell rates and ounce variability; leading plants convert closed nuts into slivers, paste and premium hand-picks. Strict EU aflatoxin caps split flows into certified EU lanes (BRC/FSSC) versus India, Russia and China where 26–28 ounce Ahmad-Aghaei is a staple import grade.
Vertical integration from inputs to export HQs improves traceability of the Ahmad-Aghaei cultivar and lowers sorting cost — a structural response to FX (NIMA) pressure on traditional brokers.
Synthesis & commercial outlook
Ahmad-Aghaei remains Rafsanjan’s competitive pillar in global tree nuts; pivoting from raw jute sacks to electronic sort and MAP packs sustains value amid water stress.
Organic roasting, protective atmosphere packs and RSEZ/industrial-park investment keep the Long Pistachio Rafsanjan brand at the top of international supply chains.
Iranco connects you with verified processors, hulling terminals and exporters across Kerman.