By Carla Espinoza GutiérrezFollowing a 1.6 billion-pound record season in 2025, the outlook for the 2026 pistachio crop has cracked under the pressure of an unusually hot spring. Temperatures exceeded 85°F across much of California's main pistachio production region and reached nearly 100°F in some areas. While normal blanking ranges from 15 to 20 percent, Vasquez said some orchards are seeing levels as high as 80 percent. Golden Hills and Lost Hills will be, for the most part, the first varieties to start coming up. Vasquez attributed the decline primarily to the high capital costs of establishing perennial orchards and broader production expenses in California.