The Union of Chambers of Agriculture's Board Directors (TOBB) in Türkiye reported an upswing in in-shell hazelnut prices after a decline in Dec-23. The prices rebounded to USD 3.7 per kilogram (TRY 115/kg) in the free market and are expected to increase until Apr-24.
Germany experienced a substantial surge in shelled hazelnut imports from Azerbaijan in 2023, reaching a six-year record of 4.2 thousand metric tons (mt), representing a 73.5% year-on-year (YoY) increase. The import value was around USD 25.67 million (EUR 23.7 million), up 65.7% YoY. Despite a decline in Dec-23, Azerbaijan became the fourth-largest supplier of shelled hazelnuts to Germany after Türkiye (45.3 thousand mt), Italy (10.2 thousand mt), and Chile (5.9 thousand mt). Furthermore, Belgium resumed imports from Azerbaijan in Nov-23 after a break since Dec-15.
At the beginning of W8, the Turkish hazelnut market leader asked major producers to submit bids for hazelnut kernels instead of publishing a fixed request. This move caused a stir among suppliers and weakened the market leader's negotiating position. The hazelnut market had mixed reactions. Some supplier's offers exceeded the market price. Initially, the market leader did not respond, but later, it was revealed that they had purchased 20 thousand mt of hazelnuts. The estimated purchase price was USD 3.86/kg (TRY 120/kg) for in-shell hazelnuts and USD 7.71/kg for kernels.