Truffles have always been an exclusive product, and truffle enthusiasts are always willing to pay considerable prices for them. However, there’s currently a scarcity on the market and prices are soaring. “The dry summer in the largest producing countries, Italy and Spain, has had its effect,” says Harold Schuurmans of Westland Mushrooms in De Lier, the Netherlands.
“Normally, a person with two dogs would find about three kilos of white truffles per week, but now they’re only finding 600 grammes. There were no autumn truffles left in Spain at all, and people immediately started with winter truffles, their weights currently vary from 25 to 125 grammes. Italy had a limited availability of autumn truffles, which are found in more southern regions, and the first winter truffles are expected in two weeks, which can be found higher on the mountains. All in all, the shortages are enormous, and there aren’t really any alternatives, because connoisseurs want Italian or Spanish truffles for their flavour,” Harold says.
“Prices compared to last year have doubled. However, this isn’t a reason for customers not to buy them. The more luxurious restaurants are now asking for truffles, because they’re proud of the exclusive character of the product. They really experience it as the icing on the cake, and are a ‘must have’ in the assortment. It’s an enormous challenge to meet this demand, but we’re happy to do it. We work with carefully selected suppliers who have a lot of experience, and who are close to the source. We pass their information regarding flavour, quality and availability on to our customers. At the moment, it’s truly a ‘specialism,’ although we remain dependent on what is offered to us by nature,” Harold concludes.
