Why do pine nuts cost so much?

Pine nuts grow in the forests of their home countries of China, Russia, North Korea and Pakistan, not on farms.

Pine nuts

are expensive because they contain high levels of essential fatty acids, including omega-3.This condition, called “pine nut mouth” or “pine nut syndrome,” means that simply eating pine nuts makes the other foods you eat taste bitter and metallic. The majority of pine nuts in the United States are exported from China, which produces 8.1 megatons of delicious nuts each year, according to Kong. Fortunately, this only lasts for a few days and is thought to be caused by specific pine species found mainly in China.

Pine produces walnuts approximately every two years, but the harvest is unpredictable due to weather conditions. In fact, there are more than 150 species of pine trees that produce pine nuts, and all of them have to be picked by hand by workers. The unique flavor and texture of pine nuts make them one of the most versatile ingredients in Italian cuisine. Pine nuts are one of the most expensive nuts on the market due to the time needed to grow them and the effort involved in harvesting the seeds from their protective shell.

Since the pine nuts are ready to harvest about 10 days before the cone starts to open, they are very difficult to remove. The vast majority of pine nuts come from just two species of pine trees: the Chinese red pine and the Japanese black pine, and almost 99% come from China. This type of nut has been used in Chinese cuisine for thousands of years and is still very popular today. The price of pine nuts has risen steadily over the years due to factors such as demand exceeding supply and low crop yields due to climate change and natural disasters.

Pines take 20 years or more to reach maturity, but due to pests and other difficulties, many trees never reach full maturity. So even Grimo, a woman who has access to a nursery full of nut trees, doesn't cook with pine nuts as often as she would like because of the price. And on the other hand, there is the exorbitantly priced pine nut, which makes teardrop-shaped nuts look like the caviar in nuts. Unlike other nuts, such as walnuts, walnuts and walnuts, which come in the form of a shell and are easily broken with a nutcracker, pine nuts are encased in a thick layer of scales that must be removed before peeling them.

If you've ever eaten at an Italian restaurant, you've probably enjoyed freshly toasted bread dipped in butter and pine nuts.