Hazelnuts

Many people don’t know that 99% of all hazelnuts in the USA are harvested in our great state of Oregon. The hazelnut industry has been ramping up to meet growing demand, particularly for hazelnut spreads like Nutella, and for exports to China, where hazelnuts are popular during the Chinese New Year celebration. World-wide, Oregon harvest only 7% of the world’s product, but this year, that may increase significantly, because the biggest world’s producer of hazelnuts, Turkey recorded a terrible frost that damaged a large portion of their crops. 

Young hazelnuts on a tree

Turkey produces 70% of the world’s supply, and they are now looking to Oregon for help. Last year, Oregon produced $121 million worth of filiberts or hazelnuts. Over the last 7 years, the acreage devoted to growing hazelnuts in Oregon has grown by 50 percent.