“Pistachio Patrol” protects pistachio plantations. A kilo costs an average of R$70
In Sicily, pistachios are worth their weight in gold. The town of Bronte produces the most expensive species of seed, known as “Bronte green pistachio”. A kilo costs, on average, R$70. Due to the high value of the product, there is a high number of thefts at harvest time. This is how the “pistachio patrol” came about.
In 2009, robbers stole around 300 kilos of the product, valued at around R$20. The criminals arrived in several cars in the early hours of the morning and loaded as many pistachios as possible.
This fact led the mayor of Bronte to request greater police protection for plantations. In 2011, the Carabinieri — an Italian police force — put more men on the ground and made a helicopter available for night surveillance. This year, there will be six police officers during the day and twelve at night.
“One night I was closing the gate to my property, and the carabinieri stopped me, asking loudly who I was and what I was doing there. I felt relieved to have their presence,” farmer Mario Prestianni told the BBC.
Enrico Cimbali, president of local trade organization Consorzio di Tutela, told the BBC that there are 230 licensed farmers within the defined Bronte area, which has managed protection.
It is estimated that pistachios generate 20 million euros per year for the city of Bronte. Producers in the region also process pistachios from other regions of the world, transforming them into pastes or flour for culinary use.
Pistachio trees only bear fruit every two years. In the case of Sicily, in odd-numbered years. In 2017, 1.250 tons were collected, and production is expected to be even greater this year.
By O Globo Agency
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