Greece’s pistachio harvest is down by 30 per cent after heavy rain in the spring allowed bacteria in the soil and harmful insects flourish.
After a longer and milder winter than normal the crops matured earlier and the harvest has almost ended.
The region around the town of Megara is one of Greece’s three pistachio producing areas, which is where Nicholas Babis has farmed for 40 years.
“Harmful bacteria in the soil caused the damage. They erode upwards from the root,” he said.
In his orchard of over 300 pistachio trees near Megara, almost every plant was affected. Some of the nuts shrivelled and even turned black.
“Over 20 per cent of pistachio trees in this area have been infected with a disease while five to six per cent of the trees are dying because of it,” said Laihaonidas Hakiis, an expert on agricultural engineering.
Frequent heavy rain from April to June made the environment humid and this also boosted the breeding of harmful insects. [euronews]
PS although we in urban areas grow just plants, flowers and herbs in our balconies, we saw dozens of them die in just a couple of weeks just because of insects, spiders, fungus and other diseases that appeared this spring. Basil plants that normally last until November died in 2-3 weeks in May, and so did cherry tomatoes. I am left with a few wild daisies, two bougainvilleas, just a few herbs and my succulents – although some of them were also infected by millions of tiny black injects I was unable to get rid of them despite very zealous efforts.
@Keep talking the greece: I’m concerned by this as Pistaccio flavoried icecream is the only flavor I eat. Do you know if I should consider buying the pistaccio flavored icecream in bulk? Or would this not really affect this year’s crop of Pistaccio Icecream? Any advice?
no.