Waning Pistachio Tradition on a Greek Island: A Glance at Its Decline
In the heart of the Greek island of Aegina, pistachio trees have been a cherished tradition for generations. One of the key figures in this narrative is Kostas Peppas, the 78-year-old president of the Cooperative of Aegina Pistachio Producers. His family switched from a vineyard to pistachios eight decades ago, and he continues to tend to his 230 trees, mostly females for nut production, with two larger males for pollination.
Eleni Kypreou, an 88-year-old pistachio farmer, shares a similar passion. She sings and speaks to her 750 trees, hoping for a bountiful harvest. However, the future of this tradition is under threat, as the number of productive trees and utilised land on Aegina has been steadily declining.
The cooperative, which sells pistachios to shops, supermarkets, and a kiosk at the port, has been dealing with two consecutive years of poor harvests, primarily due to climate change, according to Peppas. The trees require certain hours of temperature below 10-12 degrees Celsius for rest and optimal growth, and mild winters are not beneficial for them.
Thanasis Lakkos, a farmer with 3,500 trees, believes that traditional farming methods need improvement. He water his trees with winter rainwater, a practice he believes helps them thrive. Yet, Lakkos and other farmers feel helpless about the potential loss of the pistachio tradition on Aegina.
The island is not the biggest pistachio producer, with that distinction going to the United States, Iran, and Turkey. Despite this, Aegina is renowned for its tastiest pistachios, with the special flavour coming from the ground and the salty water.
However, the number of trees in productive age and hectares of utilised land on Aegina have been decreasing, unlike Greek pistachio production overall. This trend has been a source of concern for Peppas, who has expressed worry about the loss of pistachio trees due to housing development on the island.
Daso Shpata, an Albanian worker, was dissatisfied with the number of pistachios harvested. Workers whack the trees with sticks to collect the nuts, but the crew was unimpressed with the yield.
Despite these challenges, there is a glimmer of hope. In 2023, Greece produced nearly 22,000 tonnes of pistachios, up from 12,000 in 2015. This growth is a testament to the resilience of the pistachio industry and the determination of its producers to keep the tradition alive.
As climate change continues to pose threats and housing development encroaches, the future of Aegina's pistachio culture hangs in the balance. If the trees' needs are not understood and met, they may become relics and be preserved in museums, as Kypreou fears. It is a call to action for all involved to work together to ensure the survival of this precious tradition.
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