The village of Reç in Malësi e Madhe owns one of the largest chestnut plantations in the entire country where most of it goes for export to the countries of the European Union.

Euronews Albania visited one of the main chestnut collection points in the village of Reç and talked to 65-year-old Prek Gjeloshaj.

Gjeloshaj has been collecting chestnuts together with his sons for more than 20 years.

This year the farmer says the price is satisfactory and thankfully the market is decided.

“This year the price is satisfactory. Last year, because there was no demand in Italy as there was no market, chestnuts were not exported. This year we communicated with several Italian importers. So far the price is satisfactory,” said Gjeloshaj.

The farmer says that it has been several years since the chestnut tree has been excessively damaged as a result of the blight, and despite the intervention, the yield is still very low.

“It has been 3-4 years that biological warfare has been fought with an AZHBR fund of the Ministry of Agriculture and the situation has improved. We do not have the experience that Italy, France and Europe had before us. It will take another 3-4 years to go into proper production. In the first year that the pest appeared, the production work went up to 20%, from 100% to only 20%. But year after year it is growing. The season is not over yet, I have collected 1200 quintals and it continues. Reçi before had a production of 300 to 500 tons,” Gjeloshaj said.

Despite the safe work, the farmer says that the best thing would be for the state to collect the chestnut and process it, not to export it abroad.