The Turkish dried fruit and nut sector, which grew by more than 10 percent amid the global financial crisis last year, may perform even better this year as more companies branch out into "lucrative" export markets such as the Balkans, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Because of the fact that our country, as the biggest hazelnut porducer and exporter of the world, can't solve its ongoing structural problems, it is not able to use the advantages of its strategical location in the world market. However, because of the product support model and political prices, today there is a great problem of supply, and many countries have been created as new competitors in hazelnut.

Hazelnut which is a very important nutritional value in a well-balanced diet, has several important health benefits in protecting against diseases. Having special combination of oil (especially oleic acid rich oil structure), proteins, carbohydrate, beta-sitosterol, essential vitamins and minerals, giving hazelnut a special place among other nuts for its unique ability to protect against diseases.

Ordu Commodity Exchange President (OTB) Nejdet Gürsoy, stated that the effects of global crisis are visible because of its impact on financial sectors, business and trades, and he added: "But this crisis is obviously a hazelnut crisis."

One of the leading hazelnut producers in the world, Turkey exported 118,332 tons of hazelnuts in the first five months of the hazelnut export season, which starts on Sept. 1 of every year, yielding revenue of more than $728.87 million.