UPA-UCE Extremadura has described this season's chestnut harvest as "catastrophic", with an almost 40% drop in the production compared to the previous year. "The impact of climate change has been very significant in chestnut producing areas this season."
"The drought we are suffering, with long periods of high temperatures followed by rains, which have facilitated the appearance of fungi, mainly in the area of Piornal and Barrado, has caused cracking and, consequently, shortages. We are seeing the consequences of increasingly accelerated and potentially harmful climate change in chestnut trees. This isn't just a threat to the crops, but to the survival of rural areas, affecting both producers and harvesting and processing firms of Extremadura," said UPA-UCE Extremadura.
Jorge Bermejo, producer of seven varieties of chestnuts in Navaconcejo, agrees that this will be a "difficult" campaign, with much fruit that has had to be left unharvested due to the appearance of fungi and diseases. The producer stresses that this year's rains have caused much more cracking, which reduces the value of chestnuts and results in more limited harvest volumes. Bermejo estimates that around 20% of their production will be lost this campaign, in which "the setting has been affected by drought and the sap supply was cut due to the spring rains."
UPA-UCE also reports that the presence of the wasp moth continues to cause declines in the production and income of chestnut producers. "This pest has again caused damages to chestnut trees and the fruit this year," lamented UPA-UCE.
Given this situation, UPA-UCE believes that the administrations should act and approve lines of direct support to facilitate research and the finding of treatments against disease pests, as well as to protect the growers' incomes. "This sector needs guarantees for the future, given the environmental and economic benefits it provides, while also allowing the region's mountain areas to remain populated," they said.
Source: upa.es