The global climate change in the Black Sea Region adversely affects hazelnut agriculture.
Recently, the problem of hazelnut frostbite has emerged. Climate scientists state that hazelnut agriculture should be moved to higher elevations.
While it is stated that sudden changes in air temperatures caused by global climate change in the Black Sea Region negatively affect hazelnut agriculture; climate scientist Professor Dr. Mehmet Levent Kurnaz said, “Recently, we see that hazelnut has started to have the threat of frost under 700 metres. Tea does not have such a problem, but we need to move hazelnut agriculture to higher elevations. He also said that the air temperature change is less at these elevations.
Professor. Dr. Mehmet Levent Kurnaz, Climate Scientist and Faculty Member at Boğaziçi University, who continues to work on the determination of damage and yield loss in hazelnut, warned that hazelnuts located in areas up to 700 metres above sea level have been exposed to more frost recently.
Pointing out that there are fewer sudden changes in air temperature at elevations above 700, Dr. Kurnaz said, “Recently, we see that hazelnuts have started to be frosted more often under 700 metres. Tea does not have such a problem, but we need to move hazelnut agriculture to slightly higher elevations and transfer agriculture there. Because the air temperature change is less at these elevations.”
“We may need to switch to other agricultural products such as kiwi, as most farmers in Ordu and Giresun provinces where hazelnuts are currently grown intensively. Because the yield in hazelnut is decreasing very much,” he added…