2018 Decline in Georgia’s Hazelnut Exports

In January-October 2018, Georgia exported $45.8 million worth of hazelnuts, a $19 million (29.3%) decrease year-on-year, reports the National Statistics Office of Georgia.

Export figures were strong during the first quarter of the year with more than $18 million, but fell in the second and third quarters, reaching just $10 million and $11.5 million, respectively. For the fourth quarter, numbers are thus far only available for October, which saw $6.2 million worth of exports.

Exports also fell dramatically in 2017: a 54%, decrease from the previous year, with a total volume of $63.8 million.

Hazelnuts were once the second most exported product from Georgia (by commodity group at the HS four-digit level), but are now in 10th place after copper ores, cars, ferroalloys, wine, medicine, cigarettes, liquor, mineral water, fertilizers, and gold, for the first ten months of 2018.

The majority of hazelnut exports are sent to Italy, Germany and Russia. Hazelnuts are primarily grown in Georgia’s western, Black Sea coast regions of Adjara and Guria.

By Samantha Guthrie