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Top Hazelnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

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Hazelnuts in shell
Hazelnuts in shell
In 2021, exports of hazelnuts were worth a total US$2.4 billion.

Exports of hazelnuts grew in value by an overall average 38.4% since 2017 when export sales for hazelnuts were $1.88 billion.

Year over year, worldwide export revenues for the toasty and earthy tasting seed accelerated by 18.6% compared to $2.03 billion for 2020.

Alternately called cobnuts or filberts, hazelnuts seeds come from the fruits of hazel trees.

Hazelnuts are used to make candy pralines, chocolate truffles and hazelnut paste products including tortes, cakes and other sweet desserts. Hazelnuts are also key ingredients of flavoring ingredients, pastes and powders.

Key Geographic Insights for Hazelnuts Exports & Imports

By value, the 5 biggest exporters of hazelnuts are Turkey, Italy, Chile, United States of America, and Georgia. Combined, that leading subgroup of hazelnut suppliers sold 85.9% of all exported hazelnuts sales during 2021.

Applying a continental perspective, countries in Asia supplied the highest dollar worth of exported hazelnuts during 2021 with shipments valued at $1.55 billion or 64.3% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Europe (23.2%) trailed by those in Latin America (6.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, North America (6.1%), Africa (0.005%), and Oceania (0.002%) led by Australia.

Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of hazelnuts in 2021 were Germany, Italy, France, Canada, and mainland China. That quintet of top import countries bought two-thirds (63.1%) of globally imported hazelnuts as measured by dollar value.

As for global imports of hazelnuts by continent, 77.4% of hazelnuts purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe, ahead of importers in Asia (9%), North America (6.6%), Africa (2.8%), Latin America (2.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (14%) led by Australia.

The above percentages suggest the total 64 exporters of hazelnuts (85.9% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 157 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers accounted for a smaller portion of its world total for imported hazelnuts at 63.1%.

We also calculated the average unit price paid by importers of hazelnuts still in-shell to be $3,901 per ton in 2021. That dollar amount reflects a 5.6% boost from the average tonnage rate of $3,695 during 2020.

Exports of shelled hazelnuts attract a higher unit price than raw hazelnuts. For shelled hazelnuts, the average unit price paid by importers was $7,315 per ton in 2021 down by -1.9% from the average tonnage rate of $7,455 for 2020. The higher average price for shelled hazelnuts results in part from shelling labor costs and other processing expenses.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080221 for fresh or dried hazelnuts in shell, and 080222 for fresh or dried shelled hazelnuts.

Comparing those subcategories, 91.7% of hazelnuts exported worldwide by value were for shelled hazelnuts. The remaining 8.3% was paid for hazelnuts in shell.

Top Hazelnuts Exports by Country

Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of hazelnuts during 2021, regardless of whether the shipped hazelnuts were in-shell or shelled.

  1. Turkey: US$1.3 billion (54% of total exported hazelnuts)
  2. Italy: $352.2 million (14.6%)
  3. Chile: $154 million (6.4%)
  4. United States: $144.9 million (6%)
  5. Georgia: $115.2 million (4.8%)
  6. Azerbaijan: $111.8 million (4.7%)
  7. Germany: $56.3 million (2.3%)
  8. Netherlands: $50.2 million (2.1%)
  9. Spain: $28.2 million (1.2%)
  10. France: $18.4 million (0.8%)
  11. Czech Republic: $12.7 million (0.5%)
  12. United Arab Emirates: $11.4 million (0.5%)
  13. Armenia: $6.5 million (0.3%)
  14. Poland: $5.7 million (0.2%)
  15. Austria: $4.3 million (0.2%)
  16. Slovakia: $4.2 million (0.2%)
  17. Lithuania: $3.7 million (0.2%)
  18. Belgium: $3 million (0.1%)
  19. Croatia: $2.6 million (0.1%)
  20. Serbia: $2.5 million (0.1%)

By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 99.3% of globally exported hazelnuts in 2021.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing hazelnuts exporters since 2020 were: Serbia (up 957%), United Arab Emirates (up 397.6%), Croatia (up 189.8%) and Armenia (up 83.2%).

Those countries that posted declines in their exported hazelnuts sales were led by: Austria (down -29.1%), Czech Republic (down -27.6%), Belgium (down -15.4%), France (down -13.4%) and Azerbaijan (down -3.9%).

Top Hazelnuts Imports by Country

Overall spending on imported hazelnuts totaled $2.195 billion, growing by 30.4% over the 5-year period starting in 2017 and went up by 4.9% year over year since 2020.

Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of hazelnuts imported during 2021, for any hazelnuts regardless of whether shelled or not.

  1. Germany: US$585 million (26.7% of total imported hazelnuts)
  2. Italy: $425.1 million (19.4%)
  3. France: $169.7 million (7.7%)
  4. Canada: $120.7 million (5.5%)
  5. China: $83.6 million (3.8%)
  6. Russia: $79.3 million (3.6%)
  7. Poland: $66.9 million (3.1%)
  8. Switzerland: $66.8 million (3%)
  9. Brazil: $53 million (2.4%)
  10. Netherlands: $47.9 million (2.2%)
  11. Spain: $43.2 million (2%)
  12. Belgium: $38.6 million (1.8%)
  13. Austria: $29.8 million (1.4%)
  14. Australia: $29.1 million (1.3%)
  15. Egypt: $23.9 million (1.1%)
  16. United States: $23.7 million (1.1%)
  17. United Kingdom: $23.3 million (1.1%)
  18. Czech Republic: $17.9 million (0.8%)
  19. United Arab Emirates: $14.3 million (0.6%)
  20. Turkey: $13.4 million (0.6%)

By value, the listed 20 countries bought 89.1% of globally imported hazelnuts in 2021.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing hazelnuts importers since 2020 were: United Arab Emirates (up 337.3%), mainland China (up 88.5%), Brazil (up 76.8%) and Poland (up 52.2%).

Those countries that posted declines in their imported hazelnuts purchases were led by: United States of America (down -23.6%), Czech Republic (down -20.1%), Egypt (down -15.2%), Italy (down -11.5%) and France (down -8.6%).

Imported In-Shell Hazelnuts: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

In 2021, the world’s average unit price for imports of in-shell hazelnuts was US$3,901 per ton.

The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of unshelled hazelnuts, Canada, was much higher at $8,220.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported in-shell hazelnuts in 2021.

  1. Tanzania: US$200 per ton (down -31% from 2021)
  2. Pakistan: $308 per ton (down -96.6%)
  3. Yemen: $417 per ton (down -86.1%)
  4. Congo: $500 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  5. Democratic Rep. Congo: $500 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  6. Tajikistan: $727 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  7. Kyrgyzstan: $1,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  8. Fiji: $1,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  9. Kuwait: $1,187 per ton (down -85.8%)
  10. Kazakhstan: $1,425 per ton (down -49.7%)
  11. Tunisia: $1,808 per ton (down -12.2%)
  12. Morocco: $1,810 per ton (down -60.7%)
  13. Uzbekistan: $2,128 per ton (down -8.9%)
  14. Ukraine: $2,188 per ton (down -3%)
  15. Thailand: $2,191 per ton (up 2.2%)

The severest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for in-shell hazelnuts from 2020 to 2021 were the low-cost importers Pakistan (down -96.6%), Yemen (down -86.1%), Kuwait (down -85.1%), Morocco (down -60.7%), Kazakhstan (down -49.7%) and Tanzania (down -31%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported in-shell hazelnuts.

  1. Finland: US$87,000 per ton (down -17.9% from 2021)
  2. Singapore: $14,000 per ton (up 16.7%)
  3. Slovenia: $12,308 per ton (up 31.9%)
  4. Maldives: $10,800 per ton (down -12.4%)
  5. Albania: $9,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  6. Canada: $8,220 per ton (up 0.01%)
  7. Cyprus: $8,200 per ton (up 141.2%)
  8. Malaysia: $7,800 per ton (up 33%)
  9. Iceland: $7,700 per ton (down -22%)
  10. Austria: $7,655 per ton (down -0.4%)
  11. Switzerland: $7,267 per ton (up 14.7%)
  12. Czech Republic: $7,225 per ton (down -0.8%)
  13. Panama: $7,000 per ton (up 30%)
  14. Faroe Islands: $7,000 per ton (up 40%)
  15. Senegal: $6,926 per ton (up 113.1%)

The 6 greatest accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices in 2021 compared to 2020 were paid by importers in Cyprus (up 141.2%), Senegal (up 113.1%), Faroe Islands (up 40%), Malaysia (up 33%), Slovenia (up 31.9%) and Panama (up 30%).

Imported Shelled Hazelnuts: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

In 2021, the world’s average unit price for imports of shelled hazelnuts was US$7,315 per ton.

The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of shelled hazelnuts, Germany, was higher at $7,715.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported hazelnuts in 2021 that that have already had their shells removed.

  1. Tajikistan: US$727 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  2. Kyrgyzstan: $966 per ton (up 32.1% from 2020)
  3. Senegal: $1,333 per ton (up 698.2%)
  4. Congo: $1,500 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  5. Sri Lanka: $2,000 per ton (up 199.9%)
  6. Benin: $2,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  7. Lesotho: $2,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  8. Democratic Rep. Congo: $2,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  9. Kenya: $2,500 per ton (up 25%)
  10. Kazakhstan: $2,693 per ton (up 6.8%)
  11. Angola: $3,000 per ton (no change from 2020)
  12. Antigua & Barbuda: $3,000 per ton (up 200%)
  13. Pakistan: $3,400 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  14. Romania: $3,631 per ton (down -14.7%)
  15. Tunisia: $3,756 per ton (up 0.1%)

Importers in Romania enjoyed the lone downturn in average unit price paid per ton for shelled hazelnuts from 2020 to 2021 via a -14.7% reduction.

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported hazelnuts without their shells .

  1. Maldives: US$17,800 per ton (up 137.3% from 2021)
  2. Panama: $14,000 per ton (up 55.6%)
  3. Macao: $13,667 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  4. Bermuda: $13,000 per ton (up 44.4%)
  5. Greenland: $12,333 per ton (up 6.6%)
  6. Oman: $12,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
  7. Finland: $11,955 per ton (down -2.6%)
  8. French Polynesia: $11,500 per ton (down -0.9%)
  9. Bangladesh: $11,455 per ton (up 63.6%)
  10. Mauritius: $11,333 per ton (no change from 2020)
  11. Nigeria: $11,000 per ton (up 27.9%)
  12. Madagascar: $11,000 per ton (up 120%)
  13. Poland: $10,741 per ton (up 15%)
  14. Faroe Islands: $10,667 per ton (up 6.7%)
  15. Moldova: $10,333 per ton (up 37.8%)

The 7 greatest increases in terms of higher average unit prices in 2021 compared to 2020 were paid by importers of shelled hazelnuts in Maldives (up 137.3%), Madagascar (up 120%), Bangladesh (up 63.6%), Panama (up 55.6%), Bermuda (up 44.4%), Moldova (up 37.8%) and Nigeria (up 27.9%).

See also Top Peanuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Almonds Exporters by Country, Top Walnut Exporters by Country and Top Cashews Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Pistachios Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Chestnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Hazelnut Showroom. Accessed on December 19, 2022

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 19, 2022

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 19, 2022

Wikipedia, Hazelnut. Accessed on December 19, 2022