Chestnut Production in Pelion Hit by Blight and Drought

Chestnut production in Pelion has been significantly affected by chestnut blight and prolonged drought, according to reports.

Chestnut blight, a disease affecting chestnut trees, has worsened after the passage of the «Daniel» phenomenon, destroying new and old chestnut trees. Dr. Alexandros Papachatzis, Professor of Arboriculture at the University of Thessaly, is closely monitoring the spread of chestnut blight and reports that 1700 millimeters of rain fell in Pelion, a much larger amount than ideal for chestnut trees.

At the same time, the drought of the summer months, where it took four months to rain, led to the loss of 70% of chestnut production. The September rains hit the large-fruited chestnuts, making them non-marketable.

The combined effect of chestnut blight and drought has caused a significant reduction in chestnut production in Pelion, also affecting the production of the Pelion mill.