VShis year, the truffle dogs did not stay with their noses in the air. And the truffle growers smelled a good deal. The harvest of Tuber melanosporumthe famous black truffle, ends with satisfaction. “French truffle production should return to 50 tonnes”estimates Alain Ambialet, president of the French Federation of Truffle Growers.
A return of fortune after a 2022-2023 campaign described as “catastrophic”. The meager collection had not exceeded 15 to 20 tonnes. The black diamond had become rare. In the summer of 2023, heat and aridity struck on the other side of the Pyrenees. As a result, the competition fell a bit and prices were good. On the Lalbenque market, in the Lot, the kilo of Tuber melanosporum was trading at 800 euros at the end of February.
Lusts
“Our prices vary from 800 to 1,300 euros per kilo”specifies Lucie Tournayre, who is preparing to set up as a young farmer on the family property, Les Truffières d’Uzès, in the Gard. Don’t talk to this truffle grower about black diamond condiments, the mustard goes up her nose. “The “truffle flavors” are pure chemistry,” she gets angry. The aroma, the false nose of the truffle. As for so-called “truffle” or “truffled” products, they must contain 1% or 3% of the precious mushroom. But what variety, asks the browsing consumer? “It’s most often white summer truffles”explains Mme Tournayre.
However, the white summer truffle, known as Tuber aestivum, less popular, sells for between 50 and 200 euros per kilo. Not to be confused with the white Alba truffle, the Tuber magnatum pico, the most prized, picked in the wild in Italy and whose price can go up to 3,000 euros per kilo. Nor therefore with Tuber melanosporum, the variety grown on French soil. With this aroma marketing, you must not lose your Latin.
No doubt, the black diamond arouses desire. And for truffle growers, the first predators are now thieves. In addition to the electric fences, which are supposed to prevent access to the oak groves by deer and wild boars ready to trample, or even dig up, the coveted object, there are cameras and video surveillance systems to stay on the lookout. The 35,000 hectares of truffle farming are highly monitored. The truffle stealer, even when hooded, risks breaking his nose…