Why Only 85 Kilos per Decare? Türkiye's Hazelnut Yield Problem

Türkiye supplies roughly 70% of world hazelnut production. In terms of yield per unit of land, however, the picture is far from bright. Let's look at the reasons and at examples of what can be done.

What do the figures say?

According to statements from the Eastern Black Sea Exporters' Association, Türkiye is among the least productive producing countries, with a yield of about **85 kilograms per decare**.

The Trabzon average is lower still: 50 kilograms.

These numbers explain why producer incomes fall short. The same labour and land yield less product.

Why yields are low

The Ministry of Agriculture and academic sources list the same causes:

**Old orchards.** The economic lifespan of a hazelnut plant is 55-60 years. Productivity begins to decline 25-40 years after planting. A significant share of Türkiye's orchards are past that age.

**Dense planting.** Insufficient spacing between stools causes branches to shade one another. Branches grow vertically, the canopy develops poorly and yield falls.

**Lack of pruning.** For many years pruning received too little attention or was not done properly. Among growers, pruning was often understood as merely clearing root suckers.

**Lack of pollinisers.** Hazelnuts require cross-pollination. Without suitable polliniser varieties in the orchard, fertilisation rates fall.

**Other factors.** Insufficient soil depth (especially in the Eastern Black Sea), sloping land, alternate bearing, late spring frosts and drought.

Why does pruning matter so much?

The more sunlight hazelnut branches receive, the better the annual shoot growth and yield.

The technical criteria in ministry publications are clear:

Spacing between stools should be **at least 4 metres**. The number of branches per stool should not exceed **5-6**. Replacement branches for old ones should be selected from root suckers developing on the outside of the stool. Branches should be cut cleanly at soil level with a pruning saw. Other fruit trees within and around the orchard should be removed.

High yields and quality are not achievable from densely planted orchards with too many branches per stool.

Four types of pruning

**Formative pruning:** Applied in the first five years after planting to establish the plant's basic shape.

**Production pruning:** Dead, broken, weak shoots and those growing inward are removed.

**Rejuvenation pruning:** In orchards at economic maturity, replacement branches for old ones due to be cut are identified 5-6 years in advance and allowed to develop. This maintains continuity of yield.

**Renewal pruning:** Plants past their productive life are cut back to the base in turn, and a new shoot is left as a renewal branch. These plants then produce for 10-15 years, and the cycle continues so that renewal occurs without loss of orchard productivity.

The results are concrete

Exporters' association officials state that thinning and pruning can **double** yields in the same orchard and the same stools. With an emphasis on renewal work, yields can be raised **four to five times**.

A concrete example: while the Trabzon average was 50 kilograms, a 20-decare orchard that underwent conversion achieved **200 kilograms** per decare.

The compost study

In research applying compost made from hazelnut husks and pruning waste at different doses, the highest yield, **3.68 kg per stool**, was obtained at 1.0 tonne per decare. The control group yielded 1.89 kg per stool.

In other words, composting post-harvest waste and returning it to the orchard can nearly double yields.

Why is this not done?

Pruning and renewal mean lost income in the short term. A branch that is cut produces nothing that year. For a smallholder that is a significant risk.

The structure of the support system is also debated. Industry representatives argue for support tied to **production and yield** rather than the current area-based direct income support.

A warning

Exporters' association assessments warn that without yield improvements, Türkiye's share of world hazelnut production could fall within a decade. Plantations are expanding in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Quality advantage is not a permanent guarantee; without productivity it does not translate into economic value.

Where does the consumer fit in?

You have no direct influence, but an indirect one: demand for branded, processed domestic products makes it economically worthwhile for growers to invest in their orchards.

Hazelnuts earning their true value depends both on productivity in the field and on added value on the shelf.

Sources

Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Hazelnut Research Institute, "Pruning in Hazelnuts".

Eastern Black Sea Exporters' Association (DKİB), "We Can Change the Fate of Hazelnuts" press release.

Karadeniz T., Bostan S.Z., Tuncer C., Tarakçıoğlu C., "Hazelnut Cultivation".

"Effect of hazelnut waste compost on hazelnut yield and leaf macronutrient content", Ondokuz Mayıs University, DergiPark.

Ankara University OpenCourseWare, "Hazelnut Cultivation" lecture notes.