The Government of Castilla‑La Mancha on 28 September 2026 presented additional incentives for investment in pistachio processing and marketing. During a visit to the processing cooperative Pistalbilla in Fuentealbilla the provincial delegate for agriculture, livestock and rural development in Albacete, Ramón Sáezsaid pistachio projects should receive special consideration in the next round of the FOCALfunding programme. According to the regional government, this will involve a higher rate of support and additional assessment points for projects that establish or expand regional processing capacity.
The measures form part of the Plan Estratégico 2024-2028 for the pistachio sector. According to the government, the plan has five priorities: farm integration and growth in scale; expanded processing and packaging capacity; adding value to the finished product; research and innovation; and the creation of an Interprofesional del Pistacho to bring producers, processors and marketers together institutionally. The interprofessional organisation is intended to provide structures for market monitoring, quality standards and dispute resolution.
At the same time, the Junta wants to advance work on a Indicación Geográfica Protegida for pistachios from Castilla-La Mancha. According to the authorities, such a protected designation of origin would strengthen the region’s quality profile and improve its position in national and international markets. No specific deadlines for submitting an application or details of the geographical boundaries were given on Monday.
The background is the strong growth of pistachio cultivation in the region. Castilla-La Mancha has become Spain’s leading pistachio-growing region in recent years. By placing greater emphasis on local processing, the regional government aims to extend value chains and reduce transport costs. No quantified estimates of expected effects on employment, prices or exports were available on Monday; the government says work under the plan is still under way.
The FOCAL programme has regularly been used in recent years to support investment in the agri-food sector; according to the Junta, the new emphasis on pistachio-related projects is intended to accelerate the sector’s modernisation. Monday’s announcements apply exclusively to Castilla-La Mancha and are aimed at businesses, cooperatives and producer organisations active in processing, packaging or marketing. The regional government will publish details of deadlines, application procedures and assessment criteria with the next call for applications.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).