Hazelnut production and prospects in Spain

Abstract

For many years, Spain was the fourth largest hazelnut producer worldwide, after Turkey, Italy and the USA. However, Spanish production currently occupies the tenth place with 10,500 t in 2017, due to the reduction of land used for cultivation, coupled with the growing importance of other producing countries: Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Chile, Iran and France. In Europe, with 16% of world hazelnut production, in 2017, Italy is the main producer country (81%), followed by France and Spain, producing 6,7% and 6,5%, respectively. The hazelnut tree (Corylus avellana L.) grows wild in Spain. In 2017, the total cultivated area dedicated to this species was 12,806 ha, mainly (82%) concentrated in Tarragona, southern Catalonia. Finally, it is worth highlighting the sector's great investment in fruit processing technology. Currently, the main cooperatives offer semi-finished products to many European chocolate industries and have their own production of roasted products, in shell and flour, for direct sale.