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How is hazelnut cultivation doing around the world?
Hazelnut cultivation is expanding in many parts of the world, driven by the growing demand from the confectionery and nut industries. Turkey remains the leading producer, followed by Italy, the United States, Chile, Georgia, and Spain, while new regions are investing in this crop thanks to its high profitability.
Globally, hazelnut production — measured on a kernel basis — reached approximately 584,500 tonnes in the 2022/23 season. From a market perspective, the global hazelnut industry is expected to be worth around USD 8.8 billion in 2025, with forecasts pointing to a rise to roughly USD 13.7 billion by 2032. That represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 6.5%. (Source: Persistence Market Research – Hazelnut Market Size, Share, Growth, and Regional Forecast, 2025–2032).
Wherever it is grown, hazelnuts share one common factor: water availability is the key element that determines yield and quality. For this reason, drip irrigation is becoming the most efficient technology to manage water resources sustainably.
The benefits of drip irrigation in hazelnuts
Drip irrigation makes it possible to replenish the water lost through plant evapotranspiration, reducing water stress. It improves nut quality, cuts the percentage of empty shells by up to 25% compared to non-irrigated orchards, optimizes the use of water and fertilizers, and helps maintain yield stability even in challenging seasons.
What’s happening worldwide: metrics, strategies and new water sources reshaping hazelnut production
Outside of traditional growing regions, success is no longer a matter of simply “installing drip,” but of how irrigation is managed. In Oregon, for example, the shift from dry farming to new drip systems has gone hand in hand with the adoption of objective stress indices. Researchers at Oregon State University developed a Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) tailored for hazelnuts, using low-cost infrared thermometry to translate canopy temperature into irrigation decisions, reducing uncertainty and supporting targeted deficit strategies [1].
In Chile, trials on Italian cultivars grown in a semi-arid Mediterranean climate have shown that timely irrigation cut-offs and regulated deficit strategies can boost water productivity without compromising yield and quality—provided water is withheld only in less sensitive phenological stages. It’s not about “less water” overall, but about “water at the right time” [2].
In Catalonia, where water scarcity is a structural constraint, IRTA has created a demonstration platform (“Water and Hazelnut”) and research projects to test treated wastewater as a supplementary resource. The point is not provocative but technical: with proper filtration and monitoring, it is possible to ensure reliable irrigation and consistent nut quality even in drought years, strengthening the resilience of the sector [3].
Along the Black Sea coast of Turkey, traditionally dry-farmed orchards have shown that even short windows of supplementary drip irrigation—for instance, from July to early August—can significantly improve yield and kernel quality. A small adjustment, but applied at the most critical stage of the crop cycle [4].
Complementing these cases, long-term studies by the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) confirm that in Mediterranean environments hazelnuts respond strongly to irrigation in terms of growth and yield. These findings reinforce the agronomic rationale for micro-irrigation and point the way toward increasingly sophisticated systems, integrating adequate filtration, proportional fertigation with pH/EC monitoring, automation, and sensor-based decision support [5].
What a drip system for hazelnuts looks like
An efficient drip system in hazelnuts usually includes pressure-compensating driplines, either laid on the soil surface or installed underground, depending on mechanization needs and field conditions. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI), which is increasingly adopted, eliminates obstacles during mechanical harvesting and minimizes evaporative losses, though in the first two years it should be complemented with surface irrigation to support root establishment.
Filtration is a crucial component and must be tailored to water quality: hydrocyclones for well water with high sand content, gravel or disc filters for water from reservoirs and surface sources. Fertigation is also essential, with control units capable of injecting NPK in proportional doses and monitoring key parameters such as pH and EC. Finally, automation with sensors, valves, flow meters, and control units allows precise scheduling of irrigation and fertigation, reducing costs and ensuring crop sustainability.
For hazelnut irrigation, Irritec recommends using Multibar® and Multibar® D.S. pressure-compensating driplines, ideal on sloping land, and the Rootguard® system for subsurface installations. The system can be enhanced with Irritec filtration and automation solutions to ensure efficiency and long-term reliability.
To learn more about how a hazelnut irrigation system is built, click here.
Special cases: Irritec’s solution for a hazelnut orchard in Romania
In southern Romania, in Olt County, a hazelnut orchard of 80 hectares was planted with a 4 x 3 meter spacing. It was an ambitious project, developed under far from easy conditions: very low annual rainfall, water availability limited to just three wells, and a soil made difficult by the remains of an old plum orchard.
In such conditions, it was not possible to install a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system, which is often the best option for mechanized hazelnut production. To ensure efficiency and deliver water precisely to the crop, Irritec technicians designed a tailored system that supplied water directly to each plant.
Each tree was equipped with a 4 l/h dripper—not the ideal solution for hazelnuts, but the most effective choice under the available water supply. This allowed irrigation efficiency to be maximized while avoiding waste and ensuring the plants received the water they needed.
To complete the system, Irritec integrated a radio-based automation system, enabling remote management of irrigation scheduling and water distribution. This innovation is particularly valuable in projects of this scale, as it ensures constant monitoring of performance while reducing management costs.
Thanks to this combination of Irritec technology and technical expertise, the project delivered a reliable, efficient system perfectly adapted to local conditions. It is a concrete example of how thoughtful design and professional support can turn complex challenges into sustainable, productive solutions.
References
[1] OSU develops first-of-its-kind water stress index for hazelnut — Oregon State University / OSU Extension
[2] A Crop Water Stress Index for Hazelnuts Using Low-Cost Infrared Thermometers – MDPI Sensors
[3] IRTA and the Tarragona Provincial Council promote a new platform to transform hazelnut cultivation in Catalonia
[4] Supplementary Irrigation During the Last Cluster Drop Period for Higher Yield and Quality in Conventional Rain-Fed Hazelnut Farming – ResearchGate
[5] Tree-based sap flow monitoring to validate the crop water stress index (CWSI) derived from UAV thermal images in hazelnut – ISHS
