Chestnut is probably the most important nut crop in the temperate zone. It ranks behind only coconut and peanut in importance. With species indigenous to all three continents of the northern hemisphere, the chestnut has long been cultivated throughout China, Korea, Japan and the Mediterranean basin. In the Mediterranean region, chestnuts have been cultivated for at least 3,000 years.
China is currently the world's largest producer and exporter of chestnuts.
China's statistics are not very reliable if local consumption is included. A conservative estimate of total production is 80,000-120,000 tonnes. However, in a country of over one billion people, nobody seems to know for sure. This cutting method has been introduced by Japanese sent to China. China is the low-cost competitor who will set market price.