BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 8. Hazelnuts are a traditional agricultural crop grown in Azerbaijan, with smallholders having a significant share of production in this sector, ranging from 60 to 70 percent of the total annual production. "Options for green energy interventions across the value chain" paper from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Partnership and Coordination Office in Azerbaijan said, Trend reports.
"Until 2015, the hazelnut market was rather fragmented. Smallholders relied on manual labor and limited use of machinery, which was old and inefficient. This resulted in low yields and low profits. The processing industry was furthermore not well organized, and foreign middlemen had a strong presence in the market," the document reminded.
"After 2015, hazelnut was recognized as a commodity with the potential to bring added value to the agricultural sector. The government adopted new programs aiming to modernize hazelnut value chains and thus increase production and exports," noted the document. "Apart from direct support for the establishment of new orchards, the programs included the development of educational materials and training in good agricultural practices for farmers. This resulted in a renewed interest among farmers and a shift from traditional farming practices."
According to the document, the total area of hazelnut orchards in 2021 was around 73,300 hectares, of which 94 percent belongs to farmers and the remaining six percent, i.e., 4,250 hectares, belongs to commercial organizations.
As much as 95 percent of hazelnut production is concentrated in the Shaki-Zagatala region, which has more suitable land for hazelnut cultivation. Production in these two areas significantly influences and shapes the country's hazelnut market, the document added.
In 2022, Azerbaijan exported hazelnuts worth $106.3 million, which is $2.5 million, or 2.3 percent less than the 2021 figure.
The country exported 21,860 tons of hazelnuts in 2022.
According to the data from the International Nut & Dried Fruit Council for the 2022–2023 season, Azerbaijan ranks 4th among global hazelnut producers. During the reporting period, Azerbaijan produced 24,000 tons of cleaned hazelnuts, representing a four percent share of the global production.
The top three hazelnut producers were Türkiye (415,300 tons - 71 percent), Italy (38,700 tons - seven percent), and the US (31,900 tons - five percent).
