The early harvesting of walnuts leads to a lower yield the next years, affects the quality of walnuts and causes damage to the trees, specialists of the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment have warned.

In a press release quoted by IPN, the Ministry says the damaging of walnut trees carries a criminal penalty.

The law on walnut trees bans the early harvesting of walnuts as this leads to a lower quality of walnuts and derivatives. In the weather conditions existing in the Republic of Moldova, walnuts become ripen in September and this is the optimal harvesting period.