A global chocolate company encourages local producers to grow hazelnuts

Bulgarian farmers should take advantage of the potential in growing hazelnuts and the guarantees of purchase provided by the demand for products on the world market, Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Prof. Dr. Hristo Bozukov said on June 25 during a meeting with representatives of one of the world's largest companies for the production of chocolate products.

The representatives of the trade company informed Minister Bozukov that the initial investments for the creation of a hazelnut orchard with drip irrigation amount to about 350-400 euros per decare.

The returns of expenses incurred during the growing period of the trees is in the seventh year, and the first harvest is around the fourth, with full fruiting beginning around the seventh year.

Analyzes in the field show that the global demand for hazelnuts guarantees a market for the products and brings out the need to create about 3,000 hectares of new hazelnut gardens in Bulgaria.

Such a plantation for a 13-year period can produce about 7,000 tonnes of hazelnuts (weight with the shell), and their market value amounts to nearly 17.5 million euros. This is due to the growing trend towards the consumption of hazelnuts in the food industry. Because they are a healthy product and can be easily stored for a long time.

Growing hazelnuts requires limited use of manual labour because the process is highly mechanized. The cultivation of this type of plantation can be a good alternative for reorienting tobacco growers to this sector.

The income from growing hazelnuts is close to that of tobacco. Another advantage of orchards with hazelnuts are the wide furrows up to the fourth year after planting, which can be used for growing protein crops, and they are provided with subsidies.

"Political will and support are needed for farmers in the cultivation of nuts in order for Bulgaria to rank among the world's suppliers of hazelnuts," said Prof. Bozukov.

He added that, unfortunately, the previous government had pursued a policy that did not support the creation of new hazelnut plantations. This is the reason why they are excluded from the possibility for support under the investment measures of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

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