Turkish Competition Authority Launches Investigation into Seven Companies in Hazelnut…

November 7, 2026 · Tarım Dünyası

The Turkish Competition Authority has initiated an investigation into seven companies, including Ferrero, Balsu Gıda, and Ofi Tarım, on suspicion of coordinating hazelnut purchase prices.

Coordinated Price Investigation in the Hazelnut Market

The Turkish Competition Authority has completed its preliminary investigation into undertakings operating in the hazelnut purchase and sale market and has escalated it into a comprehensive investigation. In its official announcement, the Authority highlighted suspicions that companies operating in the sector are coordinating hazelnut purchase prices and policies. An investigation has been launched under Law No. 4054 on the Protection of Competition, citing direct intervention in the price mechanism that should be formed by supply and demand balance in a free market. The possibility of deliberately suppressing purchase prices has brought the competitive dynamics of the market under scrutiny.

Seven Major Exporters on the Investigation List

The seven companies subjected to investigation by the Competition Board form the backbone of hazelnut exports and trade. According to the official list published by the Authority, the firms under investigation include Ferrero Fındık, Atalay Fındık, Balsu Gıda, Karaçuha Tarım Ürünleri, Ofi Tarım, Özyılmaz Fındık, and Şenocak Gıda. While Italian-capitalized Ferrero is the largest player in the market, Balsu Gıda, owned by Cüneyd Zapsu, stands out as one of the largest domestic exporters. Along with Ofi Tarım, which is part of Singapore-based Olam Gıda, the seven firms on the list control a significant portion of the sector's volume.

Audit of Binding Commitments for Ferrero

The investigation will not only examine common price fixing but also the past commitments made by the Italian industrial giant Ferrero. The Competition Authority announced the framework of this audit in its official statement as follows:

"Within the scope of the investigation; Ferrero's compliance with the commitments taken and made binding for the undertaking by the Board decision dated 07.03.2024 and numbered 24-12/213/87 will also be examined. These commitments include that Ferrero will; (1) not purchase shelled hazelnuts below the TMO's reference price, (2) not purchase more than 100,000 tons of shelled hazelnuts throughout each hazelnut season, and (3) purchase at least 45,000 tons of shelled hazelnuts during the September-December period (peak season) each year."

Critical Questions Regarding Market Functioning

Competition Authority Chairman Birol Küle stated that critical questions aimed at directly protecting the producer are being addressed in the ongoing investigation. At the center of the investigation is the issue of whether there is a connection between the market's largest global buyer and local and medium-sized traders to systematically lower purchase prices. It is being investigated whether local intermediaries are forcing farmers to sell their products cheaply under direction, and whether companies that should compete freely are colluding to impose a single low price, leaving producers helpless.

Implications of the Investigation for Producers and the Market

This legal process, vital for hazelnut producers, is being conducted with the aim of ensuring that the labor in the field receives its true value. The substantiation of long-standing allegations of monopolization and price suppression in the sector with concrete evidence will directly affect the income security of hundreds of thousands of hazelnut farmers in the Black Sea Region. If competition violations are detected as a result of the audits, high administrative fines may be imposed on the relevant companies. According to market experts, the establishment of a transparent purchasing mechanism could re-establish the bargaining power of domestic producers against global traders.

Türkçe