Photo: Press Office of the Alba White Truffle International Fair Organisation
The European white truffle market is facing the consequences of climate change, reports the AP. In Piedmont, Italy’s leading region for the production of this delicacy, prolonged heat and a lack of rainfall have led to reduced harvests and smaller truffles. A similar situation is being observed in Croatia.
According to Italy’s National Truffle Research Centre, the dry conditions in July and August have had a negative impact on the autumn season: the truffles have become smaller and their shelf life has been reduced. The centre’s president, Antonio De Giacomo, notes that this is no longer an isolated occurrence, but a sustained trend over the last five to six years, driven by global warming and erratic rainfall.
The shortage in supply is reflected in the price of this delicacy. At the Alba market, prices for white truffles are 20–30 per cent higher than last year’s, although demand remains high. The famous International White Truffle Fair continues to attract tourists, and hotels are virtually fully booked for the duration of the event.
The problem is affecting other European regions as well. In Croatia, this year’s harvest is estimated to be around 30 per cent below average. Local truffle hunters note that the drought is causing truffles to be smaller and reducing the areas where they grow. The price of the most prized white truffle can reach 4,000 euros per kilogramme.
Forest restoration rather than industrial production
Scientists and industry organisations are seeking ways to preserve the natural habitat of truffles. Key measures include forest restoration, planting drought-resistant tree species, improving forest resource management and experimental irrigation.
However, the effects will be delayed: it may take more than ten years for the new trees to create suitable conditions for the fungi to grow. Attempts to establish commercial cultivation of white truffles have not yet been successful: unlike black varieties, this fungus cannot be reliably cultivated on an industrial scale.
If the trend towards drier conditions continues, the white truffle risks becoming an even rarer and more expensive delicacy. In the absence of any means to compensate for losses in the natural harvest through industrial production, the future of the market will depend directly on the preservation of forest ecosystems and the ability to adapt them to new climatic conditions.
This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.
Follow our updates
Have information for the newsroom? Share it with Logos-Press
Comments
0No comments yet. You can start the conversation.
Comments are open to readers with a Logos Press account.
Sign in to comment