Turkey earned $732.8 million (TL 5.4 billion) from hazelnut exports between September and December 2020, a regional trade group said Wednesday.

Data from the Black Sea Hazelnut and Products Exporters’ Association showed that the four-month figure fell 32.7% from the same period last year.

In the first four months of this season, which began in September 2020 and will end in August 2021, the volume of hazelnut exports reached 106,706 tons, a decrease of 36.4% year-on-year.

Some 70% of Turkey's hazelnut exports in September-December went to European Union countries, with more than 75,200 tons generating an income of $515.9 million during the same period.

Turkey is the world’s largest hazelnut exporter. In 2020, the country exported 280,924 tons of hazelnuts, yielding nearly $2 billion of revenues.

From September 2019 to August 2020, the country made a historic record in hazelnut exports, selling over 343,000 tons worth $2.3 billion. Sales were up 27.5% year-on-year.

Around 77% of the total exports went to European countries. In the same period the previous year, revenues were $1.59 billion.