Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the Iranian pistachio industry

SWOT analysis is one of the strategic tools for corresponding internal strengths and weaknesses to external opportunities and threats. According to this model, an appropriate strategy maximizes strengths and opportunities and minimizes weaknesses and threats.

The present study attempts to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the Iranian pistachio industry.

A group strategies have been extracted by analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, and threats in the Iranian pistachio industry and reviewing the strategies and policies of the base models. The strategies that have been extracted include: developing management and planning, developing advertisement and marketing systems, promoting knowledge and technology in the Iranian pistachio industry, attracting national and international support and sponsorship, increasing productivity, developing an efficient monitoring, evaluation and control system.

The evaluation of SWOT matrix indicated the weakness of internal factors and the large volume of health threats in Iranian pistachios. Moreover, the matrix has also reported that the optimal strategies should be defensive. In such conditions, a strategy is required to be adopted that, depending on the weaknesses, reduces or eliminates the damage caused by the threats ahead. To increase consumer awareness and health, a corrective approach is required to be adopted in the structure of the current health status of Iranian pistachios (especially for smallholders).