A Feasibility Study on the Development of Hazelnut Processing Industries in Guilan Province, North of Iran

The development of hazelnut processing industries is one of the major challenges of hazelnut production in Guilan province, Iran. Hence, the factors influencing the development of these industries in this province were explored by the Delphi technique in three rounds. After consultation with academic teachers and researchers of relevant research institutes, 31 experts were selected as the research panel members from Agriculture Jihad Organization and the affiliates of Hazelnut Research Institute in Guilan province. The results demonstrated that "specifically supporting large-scale and pioneer orchard owners to establish hazelnut processing industries", "establishing wholesale purchase centers of hazelnut in the context of agricultural production cooperatives", and "training agriculture processing industry experts of the province by dispatching them to countries pioneering in hazelnut processing industries" were the most prominent driving factors of the development of hazelnut processing industries in Guilan province as agreed upon by 98.81%, 96.68%, and 93.74% of the panel members, respectively. in addition, "inappropriate crop insurance coverage of hazelnut production" with an agreement rate of 95.55%, "the lack of a regional macro-plan for the development of agriculture processing industries in the province" with an agreement rate of 94.74%, "fluctuations in hazelnut market price and neglect in official monitoring of price balance in the market by the government", and "the lack of agricultural production cooperatives in the region and the weak cooperative culture " with agreement rates of 92.32% were found to be the main inhibiting factors of the establishment and development of hazelnut processing in the region.