<p></p><p>The chestnut harvest will start in the area of Cimini Mounts (Latium) by the end of the month. "Unfortunately the chestnut harvest will be poor again this year", Aroldo Mastrogregori, the eponymous owner of the company, says. The company does not grow chestnuts but it processes and trades them as fresh or processed food (flour, dried, in syrup, and frozen peeled from next year) as it can count on a network of about 100 producers and suppliers.Chestnut production has been affected for a while now. (see FreshPlaza 23rd October 2014): "In recent years, he continues, Asian chestnut gall wasps attacked chestnuts, causing plant death and a fall in production and climate change also had a negative effect. This year, it was really cold and rainy during blooming and pollination. In these weeks, dry weather made us think production and quality were going to be damaged, but, eventually, it rained. A fall of 60% is estimated in Italy: this will oblige us to move to foreign productions such as Spain, Portugal and Turkey, where we'll look for varieties which are similar to Italian products". <br></p> <p>Besides the fall in production, the sector is in danger because young people have stopped growing chestnuts, Mastrogregori adds, since they cannot earn enough. Diseases which have been defeated may spread again if the areas are not treated properly".In order to relaunch the sector "we need to be patient. This tree is a century-old, underwent several changes and is able to adapt itself but it mustn't be abandoned. At the moment we need trust".Mastrogregori trades both fresh and processed chestnuts. It exports to Austria, Switzerland and Germany, the owner continues, "We have been exporting to Japan for a while since chestnuts are the ingredients of several products".The company also trades snacks. It launched Le Mosciarelle: peeled dried or soft, ready-to-eat six years ago. Plus, it launched I Golosoni, a ready-to-eat snack made of peeled and steamed chestnuts in doypacks.</p><p></p>