The chestnut tree rightly stands as one of the most important trees of the northern hemisphere, with a rich cultural tradition and invaluable contribution to the survival of peoples during difficult times. It provided not only nutritionally rich, fresh food, but chestnuts could be stored fresh for several months and dry for the entire year. Its particularly durable wood was used for construction and heating. Chestnut forests in mountainous areas constituted important ecosystems for soil protection and biodiversity. Greece is an ideal place for the development of the chestnut tree, which naturally forms forests or is cultivated in chestnut groves for fruit production throughout almost the entire territory.

After combating chestnut blight with biological methods, the national annual production skyrocketed from 10-20,000 tons to 35-39,000 tons. Browning is already being addressed with environmentally friendly methods, as is the chestnut wasp, while science is also developing ways to tackle chestnut brown rot.

Despite increased global production, chestnuts are considered a scarce product. Greek chestnut production can potentially be doubled without significant expense. A systematic, well-designed effort and encouraging national policy are all that is needed.