According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia, from August 1, 2021, to January 23, 2022, 18.4 thousand tons of hazelnuts were exported from Georgia, the value of which amounted to $84.5 million.
According to the Ministry, compared to the same period of the previous year, the volume of exported hazelnuts increased by 4.0 thousand tons (28%), while the value increased by $8.3 million (11%).
Georgian hazelnuts are mainly exported to EU markets – Italy (7,621 tons), Germany (3,533 tons), Spain (522 tons), Czech Republic (467 tons), Poland (379 tons), France (339 tons), Lithuania (327 tons), Bulgaria (144 tons), Greece (71 tons), Latvia (70 tons), Estonia (60 tons), Belgium (41 tons), Hungary (22 tons), and Croatia (20 tons).
In addition, Georgian hazelnuts are exported to: Armenia (1,290 tons), China (785 tons), Russia (400 tons), Ukraine (339 tons), Saudi Arabia (301 tons), Belarus (251 tons), Algeria (241 tons) , Switzerland (173 tons), Iraq (168 tons), Mexico (120 tons), Canada (120 tons), Argentina (105 tons), Turkey (92 tons), Azerbaijan (82 tons), United Arab Emirates (75 tons) , Kazakhstan (45 tons), Uzbekistan (44 tons), Jordan (30 tons) Tunisia (27 tons), United Kingdom (22 tons), and Kyrgyzstan (22 tons).
Hazelnuts are a crop commonly grown in western Georgia. Hazelnut plantations were severely damaged during the spread of the “stink bug,” although after a significant reduction in the pest population, hazelnut production increased again.
By Ana Dumbadze
