Yields and Returns

Although Périgord black truffles have been grown commercially since 1997 the cultivation of other edible mycorrhizal mushrooms is still very much in its infancy in New Zealand. Consequently there is insufficient information available to allow us to predict what yields can be expected in all parts of New Zealand. All we can do at this stage is to quote what a few growers have achieved.
In most saffron milk cap plantations between Te Kuiti and coastal North Otago, fruiting started when trees were about 2 years old. On Hannes and Theres Krummenacher's irrigated saffron milk cap plantation near Nelson, yields were estimated to be 60 kg/ha after 2½ years, 1 kg/tree in the 6th year and an average of 4 kg/tree in the 9th year. On the summer-dry site in North Otago the best plants produced 20 relatively small mushrooms whilst others have yet to fruit. This plantation was established on the boundary of a 20 year old radiata pine plantation and contamination from it may have had detrimental effects on yields. In mature plantation forests annual yields of both the saffron milk cap and Painted bolete have exceeded 100 kg/ha.

The Périgord black truffle has yielded best in the warmer parts of New Zealand whereas fruiting of the bianchetto truffle has been satisfactory at West Melton near Christchurch. It is too early to predict what quantities of bianchetto can be expected from plantations but 20 kg/ha after 8 years is probably not an unreasonable expectation with yields hopefully increasing over the following decade.

In New Zealand prices charged for the saffron milk cap have been around NZ$40/kg whilst retail prices in upmarket stores in Portugal and Spain, where the saffron milk cap is highly regarded, are around €40/kg. In New Zealand, first grade bianchetto truffles uncontaminated with poorer flavoured species, such as Tuber maculatum (this is sometimes called the New Zealand white truffle), are selling for upwards of NZ$2500/kg (plus GST) at the farm gate during the winter harvest. In Italy, bianchetto mixed with some poorer flavoured truffles wholesales for about €500.

What to do, where to go

Information on the cultivation of truffles can be found in the book Taming the Truffle by Ian Hall, Gordon Brown and Alessandra Zambonelli. Other edible mycorrhizal mushrooms are covered in a series of information sheets and detailed booklets that have been prepared by Truffles and Mushrooms (Consulting) Limited.

These are available from:

Ian Hall
P.O. Box 268
Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
truffle2@ihug.co.nz
+64-3-454 3574
+64-27-226 1844
www.trufflesandmushrooms.co.nz

To enquire about the availability of trees mycorrhized with edible mycorrhizal mushrooms please contact:

Kevin Fearn
Edible Forest Fungi New Zealand Limited
P.O. Box 384
Oamaru 9444
New Zealand
kevin@oregonnurseries.co.nz
+64-3-431 3627

Pictures can speak louder then words

A tray of bianchetto truffles (with a few extra truffles) harvested and ready to be sorted and cleaned before being sold or eaten A tray of bianchetto truffles (with a few extra truffles) harvested and ready to be sorted and cleaned before being sold and eaten

Saffron Milkcap ready for harvesting Beautiful examples of Saffron milkcap ready to be harvested.

Saffron Milkcap ready for harvesting Cover of 'Taming the Truffle'