Boom in imports of chestnuts

Reduction of Italian production leads to an increase in imports.

Italian production of chestnut fell sharply after the onset of parasitic wasp and adverse weather conditions in recent years. The decline in production has led to a "boom" of imports.

Coldiretti announces, on the basis of ISTAT figures available for the first 11 months of 2013, imports in 2013 (28.1 million pounds) almost doubled compared to 2012 (14.8 million pounds) and more than tripled compared to 2011 (7.7 million pounds).

Chestnuts imported in 2013 came mainly from Spain (10.2 million pounds), Portugal (6.9 million pounds), and Albania (3.2 million pounds).

source :  ilpuntocoldiretti it