Is it worth growing the exotic truffle mushroom?

Mushrooms

Truffle Although it's a mushroom, it grows in the ground, like a potato, at a depth of 20 cm. A person can't find this delicacy on their own, which further increases their cost. However, despite the price, mushroom cultivation is only worthwhile if you have the available funds, as the initial income from a truffle plantation won't be immediate.

Description of the mushroom

A member of the family of the same name. The fruiting body of this edible mushroom is found beneath the arable soil layer. It is round or tuberous in shape. Its structure is fleshy and cartilaginous. The mushroom, which varies in size (from a hazelnut to a potato tuber), is covered with a smooth or warty leathery layer. When cut, the flesh has a marbled pattern—distinct alternating dark and light stripes.

Where it grows and when it begins to appear

Mushrooms grow in deciduous forests. The tree species varies depending on the specific truffle species: black truffles, and the most valuable ones, are found under oaks, beeches, and hornbeams, while the Piedmontese truffle grows in birch groves, poplars, and rowans. Mushrooms are harvested in the fall or spring. Since humans cannot find them themselves, specially trained dogs or pigs are used to harvest the crop.

How quickly does it ripen, what is the yield?

The first fruits begin to appear in the first year. However, they are not yet fully germinated and do not tolerate harvesting well. Mushrooms weighing 3-5 grams have no commercial value. The investment in truffle cultivation (purchase of oak seedlings, mycelium, maintenance and protection costs) begins to pay off only in the fifth year, when yield increases. It reaches its peak in the 10th to 12th year and remains at 40 kg/ha for the next 40 years.

For your information!

Australian vegetable growers claim that the potential of truffles grown using their technology is 90 kg/ha.

Types

The genus is represented by nine varieties. However, not all are considered delicacies. Species of particular value include:

Summer – a round fruiting body 2.5-10 cm in diameter covered with a bluish-black, warty, leathery layer. The species owes its name to the fruiting season, which is summer to early fall. The flavor is nutty. The aroma is intense.
Winter mushrooms reach 15 cm in diameter, weighing 1-1.5 kg. The flesh is initially white, then turns gray. It has a musky aroma. Fruiting occurs from November to March.
Italian – the uneven, velvety, brownish skin conceals light-colored flesh with a delicate flavor. Weight: 30-300 g. Fruiting season extends throughout the autumn months.
Black – young, reddish-brown mushrooms become jet black over time. The flesh is firm. When cut, the marbled pattern is offset by a uniform pink or white-gray color. The harvest season is winter.

Is it profitable to grow truffles?

It's possible to grow valuable mushrooms yourself. However, it takes some effort. To launch mushroom production as a business, vegetable growers establish oak plantations. The truffles closely intertwine with the tree roots and draw essential nutrients from them. This allows them to recreate conditions close to natural ones, resulting in a healthy profit.

Features of cultivation

To produce a mushroom that mimics the appearance and taste of a wild-grown truffle, special conditions are created. Key points:

Site selection: The soil should be calcium-rich, well-moistened, and not subject to water erosion. Truffles do not grow in acidic soils, at elevated elevations, or in lowlands.
Infection and planting of seedlings – fungal spores are planted on the root system of already growing oak plants.
Care: the plantation is systematically watered, protected from pests, and, if necessary, the soil is enriched with zinc and iron, and weeds are regularly destroyed.

For your information!

Since truffles are completely hidden by the soil, indirect indicators are used to detect them: a swarm of truffle flies, cracks in the ground, or areas of dry grass at a distance of up to 2–3 m from the tree trunk.

How much does a kilogram of mushrooms cost?

With low-intensive cultivation, approximately 10-15 kg are harvested per hectare of forest plantations. The average price per kg is $500. However, starting production will require approximately $3,500. This money will be needed to rent the land on which the seedlings will be planted, purchase the mycelium, set up drip irrigation, and hire workers. It's also important to remember that the first harvest of commercial mushrooms will not be possible for at least 4-5 years after planting.