Identikit and main features
When this chestnut is fresh presents minimum sizes of 110 fruits per kg, the colour of the pericarp varies from light to dark brown, a more or less wide cicatricle, never going over the lateral faces, radial shaped. The epicarp varies from yellow to light brown. It has a crispy consistence and a sweet and delicate taste.
Area of production
The area of production of the “Castagna Cuneo” IGP (PGI) includes the mountain and valley-bottom municipalities of all the Cuneo valleys, from the Valle Po to Valle Tanaro.
History
The origin of the Cuneo chestnut-growing goes way back in time, the first references date back to the XII century, when the Cuneo was already an active market. In this period was born also the market of Venasca. In 1800 chestnut continued to be at the centre of mountain farm life organization, representing an essential component of the diet of the families and one of the few possibilities of trading and of subsequent financial incomes of the mountain areas. In the 50s of the last century, began the crisis related to the exodus of the alpine populations towards bigger cities and abroad then, in the 80s, there was a recovery of the production linked essentially with the rediscovery of the quality of this fruit. In 1999 started the process of to obtain the Pgi certificate and was founded the Consorzio per la valorizzazione e la tutela della Castagna Cuneo Igp.
