On the eve of the opening of the season, Burgundy truffle producers are worried. Due to the drought, will there be enough Burgundy truffles to meet the demand and will the quality be there?
The summer of 2022 was hot and very dry and these climatic conditions did not favor the development of the Burgundy truffle. As the official season opening date approaches, established by prefectural decree of 15 Septemberthe professionals are waiting: will the precious tuber be there and in what quantity? ?
“The summer truffle was present in good quantity from the end of June, with good taste and olfactory qualities, explains Patrice d’Arfeuille, president of the union of truffle producers in Burgundy. But what about the Burgundy truffle (Hooked tuber), we are really worried about the season “.
“The truffle needs sugar and water to grow”
The truffle is a symbiotic mushroom that lives off the tree next to which it grows. In the truffle ground of Patrice d’Arfeuille, in the Nièvre, there are up to 18 different species of trees on different hectares, varieties ranging from holm oak to cedar, through hornbeam and hazelnut.
In this activity we are never sure of anything …
Patrice d’Arfeuille
president of the union of truffle producers in Burgundy
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This summer, when temperatures exceeded 40 degrees for several consecutive days, it was necessary to bring water, mainly from recovery, to allow the trees to resist … and keep the foliage. The fate of the tubers depended directly on this irrigation. ” At these high temperatures, the trees are clearly under water stress, and the risk is that they decide to protect themselves by dropping their leaves to limit evapotranspiration. explains Patrice D’Arfeuille. When this happens, there is no more photosynthesis, so there is no more sugar available for the truffles you want to harvest. The sector will really have to adapt quickly to climate change! Without water, the truffle cannot develop and grow “.
For a truffle dog, nothing like the humidity of the undergrowth to look for truffles. But for the moment, Patrice d’Arfeuille is refraining from putting Havana, his female Labrador, to work, even though the official season will start in a few days. “It’s still very hot right now and the hot air is seriously annoying and irritating the olfactory mucous membranes of a working dog. No interest in me or my dog starting the campaign next Thursday. “
As a specialist, Patrice will wait until October to start digging and will prefer a morning outing, around 7 – 8, to look for truffles.
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At the head of theGold of the Valois, a shop in the center of Dijon specializing in truffles and their derivatives, and owner of a truffle ground oriented towards tourism and tasting, Thierry Bezeux stands at the crossroads, between cellarmen and local restaurateurs, passing through private individuals.
For him this year truffles will be rare and prices have already started to rise.
“In September 2021 the Burgundy truffle sold on average 500 euros per kilogram, today we are more than 900-1000 euros per kilogram”.
For his job, Thierry Bezeux employs 35 journalists who are looking for the precious tuber in a radius of 200 kilometers around Dijon. “These days, most cavers spend a lot more time than usual to find just a few, small truffles. Prices rise mechanically, when it is not the speleologists who decide to stop“.
On the marketing side, it is the restaurant industry that risks turning its back on the Burgundy truffle
Thierry Bezeux, truffle hunter and merchant (L’Or des Valois, Dijon)
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With sales prices almost doubled, it is above all restaurateurs who risk moving away from truffles, because they need volume. “On the consumer side, outages should be more limitedanticipates the truffle hunter. Customers who come to buy Burgundy truffles from me do so for holiday meals. The truffle is an exceptional and festive product. This increase will only involve an additional cost of around 10 euros for 20 grams of truffle , relativizes. Not enough to worry a clientele accustomed to buying the luxury product, which is the truffle.
For amateurs, several truffle markets will be held in Burgundy. They will be held in Nevers on 15 October, Sancerre on 22 October, Clamecy on 5 November and Vézelay on 13 November 2022.
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