Chestnut Guide

As of 2019, Italy is the top exporter of chestnut with 22.3% of the global export share and a value of USD 57.24M. Followed by China, Portugal, Turkey, and Spain with each of the global export shares 17.3%, 15.9%, 14.1%, and 9.6% respectively. The export values are USD 44.4M, USD 40.92M, USD 36.35M, and USD 24.79M respectively. Europe is the dominating region for chestnut export with a total of 59.9% global export share.

The top importer of chestnut in 2019 in Italy with a 35% global import share and an import value of USD 92.06M. It is followed by Switzerland, Germany, and France with 5.7%, 5.6%, and 4.9% global import share respectively. Within the imports, the values are USD 15.04M, USD 14.86M, and USD 12.9M respectively. Europe is the dominant region for the import of chestnut accounted for 64.8% of the global import share.

The month of October has the highest global seasonality in a year with 89% known varieties and regions are in season. Countries that are in season during the month of October are China, South Korea, Turkey, Grace, Italy, France, and Portugal. While during February, March, May, and June, there are no known varieties and regions that are in season.

China sits as the top producer of chestnut in 2019 with an amount of 76.9% global production share and volume of 1.85M MT. It is then followed by Turkey with 7.9% or 188K MT and Bolivia 23.6% at 86K MT of the global production share respectively. 

Chestnut size standards based on the number of nuts per pound

• Grade A: 36-39 number of pounds per pound
• Grade AA: 27-30 number of pounds per pound
  
• Grade AAA: 22-24 number of pounds per pound
  
• Grade AAAA: 19-20 number of pounds per pound
  
• Grade AAAAA: 18 or fewer
  

For the past year in 2019, both the import value and import volume of chestnuts experienced a decline. There was a 13.7% decrease in the import value from USD 304.9M in 2018 to USD 263.22M in 2019. Within the import volume, it decreased by 9.3% from 101.4K MT in 2018 to 91.9K MT in 2019. The year 2014 has the highest value of import and volume of import with USD 318.4M and 110.6K MT respectively.

Chestnut trees are susceptible to a few pests such as the chestnut weevil, oriental chestnut gall wasp, spider mites, shot hole borers, filbert worms, and even deer and squirrels.

Diseases of concern include chestnut blight, as well as alternaria, aspergillus, botrytis, fusarium, penicillium, phomopsis, phytophthora root rot (also known as ink disease), leaf spot, powdery mildew, and oak root fungus. Asian chestnuts are particularly susceptible to twig canker.

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Planting and growing chestnut trees 

Chestnuts

Chestnut trees thrive in warm, temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Although the trees can tolerate a variety of environments and climates, a long, warm growing season and mild winters are ideal. As for the soil, a deep, sandy, well-drained soil with a 5 to 6.5 pH level is best for chestnut trees. Planting on gently sloping fertile land is best and should avoid heavy clay soils.

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Planting and growing chestnut trees 

Chestnuts

As shown in the figure below, the global production volume of chestnuts has been increasing in the 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years period. In 2018, the volume reached the highest with 2.4M MT of chestnuts. It increased by 2.4% from 2.3M MT of chestnut in 2017. As for the lowest volume of chestnut production, it had occurred in 2004 with 1.27M MT of chestnut produced.

• Type of growing techniques directly affects the price range of chestnuts, whether the chestnuts are organically or conventionally grown
• Changes in the demand and supply of chestnuts
  
• The size and nutritional values of chestnuts are also important in determining the price
  
• Sugar content also increases the market value of the chestnut
  
• Global and domestic competition prices and production/supply capacities 
  

In 2019, both the export value and export volume of chestnuts experienced a decline. There was a 22.4% decrease in the export value from USD 331M in 2018 to USD 257M in 2019. Within the export volume, it decreased by 16.1% from 110.6K MT in 2018 to 92.8K MT in 2019. The year 2015 has the highest volume of chestnut exported but low export value compared to the previous year and the following year.