In Polish forests you have to follow the rules to avoid getting fined. However, much stricter regulations apply to our western neighbors, as mushroom pickers from Switzerland, Italy and Austria have found out. They received a mandate exceeding 7,000. euro for picking too many mushrooms.
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As reported by Farmer.pl, German customs services detained Swiss, Italians and an Austrian who tried to transport from 10 to 29 kilograms of mushrooms across the border.
“Customs officers from Baden-Württemberg fined tourists who exported a total of 71 kilograms of mushrooms from Germany for their own use.” – we read on Farmer.pl. According to media reports, the detained mushroom pickers from three countries were carrying from 10 to 29 kilograms of mushrooms in their cars. They were supposed to pick all of them with their own hands in the forests of the Black Forest.
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A great punishment awaited them
Such abundant harvests were probably considered quite a feat by mushroom picking enthusiasts, but their joy was very brutally cooled down by the mentioned customs officers. This happened due to strict German law, which allows only a relatively small amount of mushrooms to be collected at one time. What’s more, foreign mushroom pickers fell in love with boletus mushrooms, which are protected in Germany.
See also: 5 thousand PLN for picking mushrooms. How not to get a ticket while picking mushrooms?
The finale of the expedition of the Swiss, Italians and Austrian was a fine imposed by customs officers for “violation of the Nature Protection Act for a total amount of approximately EUR 7,200” – informs Farmer.pl. What’s more, all the extra mushrooms were taken away from them and, unfortunately, they had to be destroyed – to the despair of the mushroom pickers.
As explained on Farmer.pl, customs officers pointed out that German law clearly provides for only one kilogram of fresh mushrooms per picker per day. “Exceeding the quantitative limit is treated as an offense, punishable by a fine of up to EUR 10,000, and in special cases up to EUR 50,000,” explains Farmer.pl.
