<p>US pistachio growers, the bulk of whom are based in the San Joaquin Valley, are expected to have a record crop, somewhere in the region of 550-575 million pounds this year. This is as a result of more plantings and greater efforts to market the produce.American Pistachio Growers estimates that the industry will produce a billion pound harvest by 2020 at the latest.Demand abroad has helped increase the value of crops, thus funding increased cultivation, according to executive director of the association, Richard Matoian.The increased value of the crops can be seen by comparing 2004's value of $5,000 per acres, with 2010's of $8,000 per acre.<br></p>