At the beginning of the century, France grew nearly 400,000 t of chestnuts. By the 1960's this had dropped to 45,000 to, dropping further to 27,000 t in the 1970's. Over the same time period, fresh consumption declined, while that of processed products increased proportionately. Within the European Community, France is now the biggest chestnut importer, mostly from Italy, but also from Spain and Portugal. Italy is also the world leader in the production of marrons and of processed chestnuts.
Most exports go to France.
Within Italy, the traditional use of dried chestnuts and flour in cooking is declining, but overseas, the popularity of these and similar products is increasing, especially in the United States. As a result, production is being increased, with new orchards being established and research continuing on the development of new and improved cultivars. Spain is the next highest European producer after Italy and France. As well as a large local market, peeled nuts are exported to Italy and France. Wood production is also a major consideration, with some chestnut cultivars specifically selected for timber rather than nut production.