Turkish hazelnut, a popular dryfruit the world over, would soon be available in India. Besides being readily consumable (albeit after roasting), hazelnuts are commonly used as ingredient in various foods products, such as chocolates, bakery items and ice creams. | |
| Some of the well-known brands of exotic chocolates popular India, such as Ferrero Rocher, contain hazelnuts. |
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| It was formally launched by Turkey's ambassador to India Hasan Gogus on Thursday. He expressed the hope that this unique nut would find place in the dry-fruit gift baskets in coming festival season, especially Diwali. |
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| The Turkish Hazelnut Promotion Group, a body of Turkey's hazelnut exporters, has appointed the SCS group, an Indian food marketing advisory firm, to promote the product in India. The objective is to capture the untapped demand for hazelnuts by the processors and consumers in the fast growing Indian food market. |
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| Gogus said it was surprising that a nut so widely consumed in other countries had not yet been introduced in India. Turkey was the global leader in hazelnut production and trade, accounting for 75 per cent of the output and 80 per cent of total exports. |
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| "Consumption of a handful of hazelnuts a day gives energy, reduces cholesterol and helps prevent diabetes, heart diseases and hypertension", Gogus said, adding that it was one of the best sources of Vitamin E. |
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| Sumit Saran of the SCS group said the cost of imported hazelnuts would be around that of almonds. "Almond market in India was growing at 10 to 15 per cent a year and part of it can be captured by hazelnuts", he said. |
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| A delegation of hazelnut importers had already visited Turkey and placed orders for imports. Besides being part of the dryfruit basket, hazelnuts would be promoted as health food and ingredients in various mass consumption food products. |
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| Something to chew on
The cost of imported hazelnuts would be around that of almonds and it is expected to soon find a place in the dry fruit market Almond market in India was growing at 10 to 15 per cent a year and part of it can be captured by hazelnuts |
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