What Problems Prevent Ukrainian Nut Growers from Producing Quality Hazelnuts

As of today, the Ukrainian company “NVO Filbert” processes over 1300 tons of hazelnuts in shells. This volume includes both nuts from its own plantations in the Odesa region and those purchased from other growers. However, many of them are rejected due to low quality.

This is reported by AgroReview

The company’s director, Maksym Sheiko, noted during the webinar “The New Era of Hazelnut Orchards. Towards Success” that domestic hazelnuts do not always meet established standards, and there are several main reasons for rejection.

Main Reasons for Hazelnut Rejection

First, according to Sheiko, one of the main factors is increased moisture. If the moisture content of hazelnuts exceeds 30%, it is considered critical. The causes include premature harvesting of nuts, when they are picked from trees before fully ripening, as well as delays in harvesting due to a lack of equipment and labor. Maksym Sheiko reported: “In 2024, companies were not prepared for a harvest increase of 2-3 times. Farmers couldn’t even pick the hazelnuts off the ground.”

Second, monilia, mold, and fungal diseases also significantly affect quality. As the specialist noted, the situation has worsened: “Last year, out of 22 tons of nuts, 60% were affected by monilia, and we rejected them. There were batches with 20-30% of damaged nuts.”

Harvesting and Cleaning Issues

Additionally, there are problems with shelling. Due to untimely harvesting, the nuts are difficult to clean. Also, impurities and contamination are a serious issue: “Often, even with manual harvesting, there is grass, stones, and sticks in the nuts. This reduces processing efficiency,” Sheiko added.

Recently, damage from weevils has also raised concerns. Sheiko emphasized the importance of taking protective measures, as neglecting them can lead to significant losses in product quality.