XV EAAE Congress-Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems : Balancing between Markets and Society ” Technical efficiency in the Georgian hazelnut supply chain and policy recommendations

Georgian has been the 5 largest producer of hazelnuts worldwide in volume terms. Average and compound annual growth rates of hazelnut production through 2006-2015 were 7 and 4 percent, respectively. Samegrelo Region has been the largest producer of hazelnuts, and during the last decade Region’s annual average contribution in total hazelnut output has been 54 percent. In 2015 national output of hazelnuts totaled 36,400 tons. Hazelnut production is concentrated among small scale diversified producers. Hazelnut production is characterized with low productivity and high degree of commercialization. Hazelnut grower linkages in input and output markets are underdeveloped.