The last month of the Spanish chestnut season will be marked by a significant drop in the supply due to the impact of adverse weather conditions. Cold weather is giving a boost to the demand for this product, which is traditionally most consumed during the Christmas period.
"For us, the chestnut season started in late September with the earliest hybrid varieties here in Guadalupe (in the Spanish province of Caceres), and later we have continued working with the best product we could find in each area, including the Malaga town of Ronda, Galicia, and Portugal," says Rocío Vázquez, of the company Castañas El Común. "Now we are harvesting the later varieties again in Guadalupe, with a slight delay compared to last year."
© El Comun
Although this has been a season with generally lower volumes in almost all areas, the drop experienced by the late varieties in Cáceres has been quite pronounced. "At the beginning, we were confident that we would have a normal season, but we have found many husks without any chestnuts inside, as if they had failed to set. We believe that this is due to the sharp contrast in temperatures in August, when we went from extreme heat to sudden intense cold, even with some frosts," says Rocío.
"So, we are facing a difficult chestnut campaign due to the lower production. In 2022, production volumes were historically low, and this year, for the time being, we expect the harvest to be reduced by more than 50%," says Rocío. "With the lower supply, prices are staying high. At the same time, the lower temperatures are giving a boost to the demand, and they are also beneficial for the product's conservation."
Castañas el Común sells its production both to wholesale markets and to supermarkets in Spain. It also exports to various European countries, mainly the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy. "Despite this year's circumstances, our aim is to continue to grow in terms of volume every year," says Rocío Vázquez.
For more information:
Rocío Vázquez
Castañas El Común
10140 Guadalupe, Cáceres. Spain
Tel.: +34 680 579 579
[email protected]
www.elcomun.net
