Oregon’s hazelnut growers face low prices

Growers within the Willamette Valley produce almost all of the hazelnuts eaten within the U.S. However Oregon’s hazelnut growers will solely get roughly half the value they did final yr for his or her crop.

Terry Ross, govt director on the Hazelnut Growers Bargaining Affiliation, says numerous international elements have led to a worst-case state of affairs for Oregon growers.

A excessive inflation price in Turkey, which produces as a lot as 70% of the worldwide provide of hazelnuts, has led to a a lot lower-cost product. As well as, tariffs in China, have made {that a} troublesome marketplace for Oregon growers. And international transport costs are double what they had been three years in the past.

All of which means that many Oregon growers could not break even this yr.

“Growers who’re at peak manufacturing will in all probability break even – possibly make a small revenue,” mentioned Ross. “However for a lot of of our growers who will not be but into peak manufacturing or have orchards which might be older and battling any crop points … sadly, these costs will likely be under their price of manufacturing.”

Ross says there’s one silver lining: maybe the low costs will trigger extra Individuals to begin consuming hazelnuts.

“The hope is that 5 or 10 years from now,” he mentioned, “we’ll look again and say this was a extremely powerful time for our trade, However it was the spark that basically obtained us going into our personal home markets.”