Croatian Forests starts acorn purchase — prices €3.30–€20/kg, large hauls can net thousands

Croatian Forests (Hrvatske šume) has opened its seasonal collection and purchase of acorns, offering prices that range from €3.30 up to €20 per kilogram depending on species and quality.

For people willing to spend long hours in the woods this seasonal work can produce a meaningful supplementary income, although actual earnings depend on the species, the quality and volume collected, and the rules and locations defined by Croatian Forests.

Example of a large haul

One recent example comes from Valentina Bašić in the Bjelovar area, who last season gathered about 800 kilograms of acorns in ten days and already had roughly 400 kilograms stored at home — a total of some 1,200 kilograms.

At the previous purchase rate of about €3 per kilogram that quantity would have yielded roughly €3,600 in gross revenue. With current minimum prices starting at €3.30/kg, the same 1,200 kg of high-quality oak acorns would be worth about €3,960.

However, such sums are exceptional. Reaching 1,200 kg requires intensive labour and favourable seasonal conditions. Collectors’ incomes will vary according to how abundant the crop is, whether collection is permitted on a given terrain, the accepted quality categories and the specific prices for each type of seed.

Croatian Forests purchases acorns as forest reproductive material for the production of seedlings and forest restoration. Collection is therefore carried out under established rules and only in areas where it is allowed.

In short, while headlines about thousands of euros can be tempting, the figures quoted are gross and depend on volume and quality; most collectors should expect earnings that reflect the time spent, local availability and the season’s conditions.

Photo: press material from the event