The U.S. hazelnut crop for 2025, centered in Oregon's Willamette Valley, is forecast to increase by about 20% from the previous year's record 96,800 tons in-shell to around 116,000 tons. The expansion is attributed to higher yields and continued growth in planted area.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook, Oregon's hazelnut acreage has expanded steadily over the past decade. Between 1980 and 2012, the orchard area ranged from 8,000 to 12,000 hectares (20,000 to 29,000 acres). By 2024, plantings are expected to reach nearly 36,000 hectares (88,000 acres), a 16% increase compared with the previous year. The combination of additional acreage and improved per-hectare productivity underpins the higher forecast for the 2025 harvest.
Exports have also grown in recent years. U.S. hazelnut shipments reached a record 54 million pounds (24,500 tons) in 2024/25, a 20% increase from the prior season. Buyers have turned to Oregon to meet demand amid reduced output from major producing regions.
Turkey, the world's largest hazelnut supplier, experienced frost damage in April that affected orchards and other crops, leading to tighter global supplies. Similar setbacks in parts of Italy further reduced availability. With lower production in competing countries, U.S. hazelnut exports are expected to remain firm through the 2025/26 marketing year.
Source: Mintec/Expana
