We haven’t seen so many good and beautiful chestnuts for more than 10 years. In Tuscany, but also in other Italian regions, 2025 is a year to remember. After the crisis caused by the gall wasp – the insect which had almost eliminated production since 2008 – and the difficulties linked to climate change, chestnut cultivation is experiencing a real rebirth this year.
The favorable climate, with regular rainfall and mild temperatures at the crucial moment of ripening, guaranteed abundant and excellent quality production. According to Coldiretti Toscana, the regional harvest will grow by 40%, with large, healthy fruits with an intense flavour.
The golden year of chestnuts
From Mugello to Lunigiana, passing through Amiata, Garfagnana and Alta Versilia, Tuscan chestnut growers speak of a “golden” season. The abundant rains in August, as also happened for the mushrooms, favored fruiting, after the great spring flowering.
Similar situation also in Piedmont, the second producing region after Campania, where Coldiretti Torino invites consumers to taste chestnuts which this year are truly delicious. Conditions very different from the drought of 2024, which had caused early fruit drop and halved harvests.
Many are going to collect them these days but the president Bruno Mecca Cici is keen to remind you that:
When you see a beautiful well-kept chestnut grove with clean undergrowth and pruned and grafted plants, don’t take the chestnuts you find along the roads and paths. They are no one’s wild fruits, but they are the final harvest after a year of waiting and sacrifices of the chestnut growers.
Prices falling
The abundance of product and a still limited demand – thanks to the autumn heat which slows down the consumption of roasted chestnuts – have led to a drop in wholesale prices.
According to data from the Italian Telematic Commodity Exchange, medium-sized chestnuts (60-65 units/kg) fell from 4.70 to 3.90 euros/kg, with a drop of 17%. A favorable opportunity for consumers and a sign of relief for a supply chain seeking balance after difficult years.
The return of the chestnut, then, is not only agricultural, but also cultural:
There is a powerful return to chestnut growing. Many young people and many entrepreneurs have returned to the woods to recover and enhance the chestnut groves, many of which have been abandoned, transforming what was a crop linked to the survival of the populations into an economic driver for tourism, food and wine and social life – said Letizia Cesani, President of Coldiretti Tuscany.
In many inland areas, the chestnut remains an indispensable source of income and a symbol of local identity. The ancient driers, reactivated for traditional drying, return to smoking, while agritourisms and agricultural companies offer harvesting experiences, tastings and routes in the woods, such as the first forest therapy itinerary to be done barefoot among the chestnut groves of Monte Amiata.
Tuscany can also boast five productions with designation of origin: three for chestnuts – Marrone del Mugello PGI, Marrone di Caprese Michelangelo PDO and Castagna del Monte Amiata PGI – and two for flours – Farina di Neccio della Garfagnana PDO and Farina di Castagne della Lunigiana PDO. The latter, obtained through a centuries-old process of drying and slow grinding, remain in great demand in restaurants and artisanal supply chains.
Coldiretti, however, raises an alarm: the Italian market continues to be invaded by foreign chestnuts and flours from Turkey, Greece, Spain and Portugal, which often end up on the shelves as if they were Italian. The organization calls for more controls on the origin and greater transparency on the label, especially for processed products.
For those who want to taste authentic Italian chestnuts, the best advice is to buy from markets, village festivals or directly from farms, where it is also possible to participate in the harvest in the woods. A way to support rural communities, experience nature and rediscover an ancient connection with the territory.
Sources: Coldiretti Tuscany / Coldiretti Turin
