Climate change 'hits' hazelnuts.Piedmont halves production

Our country also boasts a PDO, the Nocciola Romana and two PGIs, the Piedmont Hazelnut and the Giffoni Hazelnut

ROME - The climate cuts the production of Italian hazelnuts with an estimated drop of 20%, mainly due to the bad weather that affected the Northern regions.The analysis comes from Coldiretti with the harvest that has come to the heart of what is a true excellence of Made in Italy agriculture. Italy is the second largest producer in the world after Turkey, with almost one hundred thousand hectares cultivated and a production of around 100 million kilos.Our country also boasts a PDO, the Roman Hazelnut and two PGIs, the Piedmont Hazelnut and the Giffoni Hazelnut.
The heaviest situation is recorded precisely in Piedmont, where a third of national production is grown, with an expected decrease of 50%..The alternation of drought phenomena first, followed by persistent rain in the spring period, caused the first problems but the situation drastically worsened in the following months.Problems also in Campania where drops of 20/30% have been reported.The attacks by the Asian bug, the alien insect brought to Italy by climate change, were especially impactful.It is no coincidence that the local Coldiretti has asked for a regional plan to contain the parasite.