Aegina Pistachio Farmers Struggle Amid Climate Change, Urbanization And The Tourism Surge In Greece

Published on September 9, 2025

On nan sun-drenched land of Aegina successful Greece, nan segment is 1 of difficult labour and quiet frustration. Workers, nether nan relentless midday sun, plaything sticks pinch practiced precision astatine nan towering pistachio trees, causing nan ripe nuts to rainfall down onto ample tarps dispersed beneath nan branches. The show of truthful galore nuts hitting nan crushed mightiness springiness nan belief of a bountiful harvest, but nan workers’ faces deny a consciousness of disappointment and resignation.

Despite nan abundance of fallen nuts, nan output is not capable to meet expectations, and nan labour feels futile. For nan farmers and laborers connected Aegina, nan harvests they erstwhile relied connected are nary longer arsenic plentiful, and nan challenges they look successful cultivating pistachios person grown acold much pressing successful caller years. The weariness successful their eyes speaks volumes astir nan uncertainty that now surrounds their livelihoods, arsenic biology and economical factors frighten nan island’s pistachio industry.

Climate Change’s Impact connected Pistachio Harvests

Pistachio farming successful Aegina has been progressively difficult owed to climate change. The island, which was erstwhile known for its abundant crops, is now struggling to support its yield. Rising temperatures and fluctuating upwind patterns person affected nan trees’ growth, starring to a drastic simplification successful harvests.

The trees require a definite equilibrium of warmth and acold during their increasing season, needing cool temperatures beneath 10 to 12 degrees Celsius successful nan wintertime months to rest. A mild winter—without capable cold—prevents nan trees from entering nan basal dormancy period. Without this, nan output of pistachios diminishes importantly nan past mates of years person been peculiarly mediocre owed to this unpredictable climate.

Decline successful Production and Quality

Despite nan challenges faced by nan island’s pistachio farmers, nan overall pistachio accumulation successful Greece has accrued successful caller years. In 2023, Greece produced astir 22,000 tonnes of pistachios, a noticeable betterment from nan 12,000 tonnes recorded successful 2015. However, Aegina’s publication to this full has declined. In 2015, nan land produced complete 2,600 tonnes of pistachios, but by 2023, that number had dropped to astir 2,300 tonnes.

The number of productive pistachio trees connected nan land is besides dwindling. Trees that were erstwhile ripe pinch consequence are progressively being replaced pinch different structures, contributing to nan wide simplification successful pistachio cultivation connected nan island. As urbanization takes root, nan abstraction erstwhile utilized for farming is progressively devoted to building homes and tourer accommodations.

The Dwindling Pistachio Culture

The land of Aegina, while not nan largest shaper of pistachios globally—countries for illustration Iran and nan United States predominate successful position of volume—has agelong been celebrated for nan unsocial spirit of its pistachios. The typical spirit of Aegina’s pistachios is attributed to nan ungraded and nan salty h2o that nourishes nan trees. But moreover though nan island’s pistachios are considered immoderate of nan champion successful Greece, nan once-thriving cultivation contented is nether threat.

Kypreou, now 88 years old, tends to her 750 pistachio trees—referred to arsenic “riza” successful Greek—with awesome care. She speaks to them and sings to them, hoping for a amended harvest each year. However, complete nan past fewer seasons, her hopes person been dashed. In 2023, Kypreou harvested only astir 100 kilograms of pistachios—a acold outcry from nan bumper harvest she erstwhile enjoyed. The twelvemonth before, she managed only 20 kilograms.

The Economic and Emotional Toll of Declining Pistachio Yields

The Pistachio Farming represents much than conscionable a root of income; it is portion of a contented that has sustained families for generations. However, nan alteration successful harvests and nan replacement of pistachio trees pinch vacation homes and commercialized developments person taken an affectional toll connected those who stay successful nan business.

In summation to nan challenges posed by ambiance change, location is different pressing issue: nan declining liking among younger generations to proceed nan pistachio farming tradition. As tourism connected Aegina continues to boom, galore young group are drawn distant from farming, lured alternatively by opportunities successful nan tourism and work industries. Some moreover take to move distant from nan land wholly successful hunt of caller prospects, leaving less hands to thin to nan pistachio groves.

The Changing Landscape: Holiday Homes and Development

One of nan astir poignant issues facing pistachio farmers successful Aegina is nan expanding development of nan island. With Greek tourism booming, nan request for short-term rentals and picnic homes has led to a accelerated summation successful nan building of caller houses connected what was erstwhile fertile land. Developers person been cutting down pistachio trees to make measurement for caller homes, adding to nan increasing interest that nan island’s cultivation practice will soon beryllium mislaid to urbanization.

In immoderate cases, nan nonaccomplishment of pistachio trees has been a individual rustle to section farmers. Kostas Peppas, a retired oversea skipper and 1 of nan island’s remaining pistachio producers, was dismayed to study that a friend had trim down his champion pistachio character to build a house. Such decisions person near him emotion “sad, angry, and surprised.” The island, which erstwhile felt for illustration a spot of endless anticipation for pistachio cultivation, is now becoming progressively crowded pinch tourer accommodations, further squeezing nan abstraction disposable for farming.

Preservation Efforts and Hope for nan Future

Despite these mounting challenges, location is still dream for nan early of pistachio cultivation connected Aegina. Many of nan island’s farmers, for illustration Peppas and Kypreou, are committed to preserving their trees and ensuring that nan adjacent procreation will proceed nan work. However, nan early of pistachio farming connected nan land depends connected a delicate balance. Efforts will request to beryllium made to protect nan trees from ambiance alteration and municipality development, while besides fostering nan maturation of a caller procreation of farmers who are passionate astir maintaining nan island’s rich | cultivation heritage.

In nan look of ambiance alteration and increasing municipality pressures, Aegina’s pistachio farmers are faced pinch nan difficult task of ensuring that nan island’s cherished pistachios do not go a point of nan past. Whether done innovative farming techniques aliases a renewed liking successful cultivation traditions, nan island’s pistachio civilization will request to accommodate if it is to survive.