Hazelnut Producers Research Articles

THE ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATION NETWORKS FOR ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL HAZELNUT PRODUCERS IN SAMSUN PROVINCE OF TURKEY

abstract This research presents an analysis of the agricultural information systems and communication networksfor organic and conventional hazelnut producers in the Samsun province of Turkey. Structured interviewswere used to collect data from 64 randomly selected conventional and all 39 organic hazelnut producersliving in the study area. Information systems for organic and conventional producers were found to bedifferent. Organic producers benefited from more information sources than conventional producers. Inaddition, the contract farming approach to organic agriculture had initially isolated organic producersfrom conventional producers. Furthermore, dissatisfaction from the organic marketing company andits organic production project resulted in further separation among organic producers and led some ofthem to establish their own union. The lack of access to information and support from the organic pro-ject-related sources, professional institutions and mass media sources was evident. This resulted in thedevelopment of social sources to exchange information among the producers within their villages. How-ever, this information is mainly based on traditional practices rather than scientific applications. Thus,more functional cooperation and professional communication between personal and institutional infor-mation sources are needed to enhance the diffusion of information and technology among farmers. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radioactivity and heavy metal levels in hazelnut growing in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey

The Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey is one of the main hazelnut producers in Turkey and in the world. Since this region was contaminated by the Chernobyl accident in 1986, a comprehensive study was planned and carried out to determine the radioactivity level in hazelnut growing region. The dose due to consumption of hazelnut by the public was estimated and it was shown that this dose imposes no threat to human health. In addition, heavy metal analysis was performed in the samples and the amount of Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb were also detected. The results showed that the concentrations of heavy metal are below the daily intake recommended by the international organizations.

Economics of organic and conventional hazelnut production in the Terme district of Samsun, Turkey

AbstractUnderstanding the economics of organic agriculture is crucial to support of organic production by policy-makers and to facilitate producers converting their lands to organic production. The aim of this research was to compare organic and conventional hazelnut producers, in terms of their socio-economic characteristics, production systems and economic performance. The main data were gathered with surveys of 64 randomly selected conventional hazelnut producers and all the organic hazelnut producers (39) living in villages of the Terme district of Samsun, Turkey in 2005. Results revealed that, compared to conventional hazelnut producers, organic hazelnut producers were more educated, had larger hazelnut areas and spent more time on agricultural activities. The current research also used cluster analysis to define relatively similar farmers from both production systems and to compare variables. Organic producers needed more labor, especially hired workers, and used more lime, organic fertilizer and insect traps, while conventional producers used more synthetic inputs. Organic producers had lower costs of production and had higher income. It is recommended that the organic producers be supported financially, and assisted by research and extension services to produce and use their own inputs, rather than purchasing from outside. They should also be encouraged to establish associations to increase their marketing efficiency.