Workers of the Batkhyz State Reserve and Serhetabat forestry are preparing to harvest pistachios.

The pistachio forest area of the Batkhyz reserve, located between the Tejen and Murgab rivers, occupies more than 20 thousand hectares of land, and the pistachio area of the Serhetabat forestry is more than 50 thousand hectares.

The emergence of pistachio forests in the southeastern regions of the country is due to the soil and climatic conditions of these places. The pistachio tree itself is drought tolerant. As you know, it extracts moisture from a depth of 8-10 meters. The age of some fruit-bearing trees today is 500-600 years.

According to scientists, the oldest pistachio tree in Turkmenistan is located in the Kepel gorge of the Batkhyz reserve. He is over 800 years old.

The pistachio tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 15-18. Each tree produces an average of two to five kilograms of pistachios, and in some cases up to 15 kilograms of crop.

Pistachio nuts are considered one of the most beneficial for the human body. It contains up to 60 percent fat, 22 percent protein and 13 percent carbohydrates. It is widely used in the confectionery industry, cosmetology, as well as in pharmaceuticals.

Currently, pistachio forests are reliably protected by the state. Within the framework of government programs for environmental protection, it is planned to expand the sown areas of this healing and useful plant.