Serbia’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management, Dragan Glamočić, announced plans to increase the country’s hazelnut production from around 9,000 tons currently to 40,000 tons over the next decade.
During a visit to the Ferero company’s hazelnut farm in Aleksa Šantić near Sombor, Glamočić met with representatives of AgriSerbia, the Ferrero Group, and the Italian Embassy in Serbia. He emphasized that Serbia is a reliable long-term partner in hazelnut production and that the collaboration with Ferrero is one of the most successful examples of foreign investment in Serbian agriculture.
Glamočić also announced the creation of a working group to develop the first “Hazelnut Excellence District” in Western Bačka. The initiative will involve local governments, scientific institutions, and companies, and is intended to serve as a model for other agricultural sectors such as fruit farming, dairy, and viticulture.
Italian Ambassador Luca Gori highlighted Ferrero as the most significant Italian investor in Serbian agriculture and a symbol of long-standing friendship between the two countries. AgriSerbia director Etore Fontana presented investment results: 600 hectares under cultivation, annual production of up to 1,800 tons, and over 1.8 million seedlings distributed.
According to Serbia’s Ministry of Agriculture, in 2024 the country had 8,718 hectares of hazelnut orchards, producing 8,910 tons. More than 40% of production comes from Vojvodina, and 92% of exports go to Italy.
The Ministry plans to continue supporting the sector through incentives, IPARD programs, digitalization of production, and the establishment of excellence districts as a new model for regional agricultural development.
