"There is a lot of interest at the moment for hazelnuts and dried fruit in general. Demand for hazelnuts is higher that supply, so of course profit margins are high," explains economist Gianluca Bagnara.
Many companies are interested in entering this market. In Emilia-Romagna, there is land available in the hills, as they are no longer suitable for intensive fruit cultivation (peaches) but, at the same time, they are not so remote to be destined to cereal cultivation or foraging."
"However, people must bear in mind that the initial investment is between 10 and 12 thousand Euros per hectare and it takes quite a while to see a return on the investment. In addition, you cannot focus only on the industry, as companies look at the global market and their prices are destined to decrease. It would be better to work with small local businesses that care about the origin of the product. Do not put all your eggs in one basket."
What is more, it must be stressed that not all soils are suitable, not all micro-climates work and not all varieties are productive in the different climate-soil combinations. In Italy, there are four regions that are most suitable for growing hazelnuts - Piedmont, Lazio, Campania and Sicily - and there are specific areas within these regions. Many tests are needed before starting cultivation, it cannot be improvised.
Interesting data concerning the current situation were discussed during the "Sostenibilità ed opportunità di sviluppo economico nella coltivazione del nocciolo: linee di ricerca ed esperienze"convention.