Italian Hazelnut Production up in 2022 but Faces Intense Competition From Turkey

During April, the presence of male flowers in the hazelnut trees and the lack of late-spring frost were excellent indicators of an optimal campaign for Italian hazelnuts. However, the drought of the past two months caused damage in terms of kernel calibre and features. Nevertheless, the crop still increased compared to 2021 when production declined by 52% YoY.

Lower prices in 2022 may boost exports despite the intense competition from Turkish hazelnuts. The rising energy costs in both countries make it difficult to calculate the kernel output ratio and the processing into kernels, both pivotal to price sensitivity. However, for in-shell hazelnuts the current producers prices are as follows:
Tonda Gentile (Italy) USD 3.79/kg
Tonda di Giffoni (Italy) USD 3.10/kg
Tombul (Turkey) USD 2.48/kg
Levant (Turkey) USD 2.26/kg