Chestnut production in Marvão, in the Portalegre district, this year suffered significant declines; nevertheless, despite the difficulties, the municipality acquired five tonnes of the fruit from local producers for a fair dedicated to the sector, it was announced today.
Promoted by the Municipality of Marvão, the Festa do Castanheiro – Chestnut Fair will take place on Saturday and Sunday, counting on five tonnes of chestnut purchased by the council from 24 local producers to stock the three magustos distributed across the historic centre.
In a statement, the municipality explained that the chestnut purchase this year “takes on particular importance,” since producers “face difficulties” due to adverse weather conditions caused by the lack of rainfall and high temperatures, which “caused significant declines” in production.
Earlier this month, the Lusa agency contacted chestnut producers in Marvão, who said that the hot and dry weather harmed production and that this is an “out of the ordinary” year, also exacerbated by rising production costs.
Chestnut producer José Mário told Lusa that this year he directed most of his production and also the purchase of the fruit to other producers for drying and flour production, recalling that “in normal years” he processes between 10 and 12 tonnes, but in 2026 he has “about two tonnes” for that purpose.
“A produção teve quebras [na região] de 70% a 80%. Eu não me lembro disto assim, já atravessámos grandes dificuldades, mas, este ano, é uma coisa fora do normal,” he said.
In the Marvão area, with a microclimate considered unique, provided by the Serra de São Mamede, chestnut groves are predominantly of the Bária and Clarinha varieties, but there are plantations of other varieties also with Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) status, among national and foreign ones.
Producer Jeremias Marques also told Lusa that this is “a disastrous year” for production, although the quality of the chestnut “is not bad at all” in the region.
Pointing to regional production losses of roughly 50% to 60%, the remaining producer, who also bets on drying the chestnut, noted that the little fruit left cannot be frozen due to the lack of moisture it presents.
The “only way to save” the year, for “those who have the means,” is to “transform the chestnut into dry, dehydrated chestnuts, because it has so little moisture that for the freezing stage it would have such a low moisture content that afterwards nothing can be done,” he said.
The programme of the Festa do Castanheiro – Chestnut Fair of Marvão includes culinary demonstrations, “workshops,” children’s activities and various moments of musical and street entertainment.
The opening of the event, at 10:00 on Saturday, will feature the “traditional blessing of the chestnut,” followed by the opening of the magustos and the spaces for exhibition and sale.
According to the municipality, the first day of the fair will also include a chestnut confection workshop, with Cristiano Louro, and a concert by the Descendants at 16:00.
On Sunday, the programme continues with a show cooking under the theme “Chestnut Delicacies,” led by Luís de Matos.
The musical closing of the event will be provided by David Antunes and Emanuel Moura, with a show scheduled for 16:00 on Sunday, at Largo do Terreiro.
