Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España (Agro-food Cooperatives of Spain) and the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Catalonia (FCAC), organised this year's meeting between the European Union and Turkey to address the situation in the hazelnut market. The meeting, promoted by the European Commission, took place last Friday, 21 October, in Reus.
This forum has been held annually since 1998 and receives representatives from the four producing countries in the Mediterranean area (Turkey, France, Italy and Spain), as well as of some from various consuming countries in Central Europe, where the industry and trade concentrate. It counts on the participation of all agents in the value chain (producers, cooperatives, traders and processors), as well as of the administrations of Turkey (the world's largest producer) and the European Union.
The European delegation was led by Roger Palau, Vice president of the Nuts Sectorial Council of Cooperativas, Agro-alimentarias de España, and head of the sector at the FCAC. The event served to analyse the situation of the hazelnut market, including issues such as the prices of imports and exports, the consumption figures, the stocks and the harvest prospects.
Turkey is the world's largest producer of hazelnuts, with almost 70% of the total production, followed by the EU, with almost 17%. Within the EU, Italy is the largest producer with 75% of the production, followed by Spain, with 9%. Turkey is the EU's largest supplier of hazelnuts, accounting for 80% of all imports, which is why this annual meeting is so important.
According to information supplied by the cooperatives, the Spanish harvest this season should reach 13,000 tonnes with shell; a stable figure, but 3% below last year's (13,440 tonnes with shell). 95% of the production takes place in Catalonia, which is also where most of the processing industry is based.
Source: empresaagraria.com