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Truffles

yWorld.Domain.Item.Text

Synopsis – Australian Industry


Year

Gross value of Prod’n
$ ‘000

Exports 
$ ‘000

Imports
$ ‘000

Estimated number of producers

2007

1,640

204

435

 

 

Truffles are the fruiting body of various types of fungi that typically form in a symbiotic relationship on the roots of certain trees. Truffles are used as food flavouring.  Fresh truffles have a shelf life of around 3 weeks, though this can be lengthened through processes such as vacuum storage.  Truffles are also canned or bottled.

The most sought after truffle is the French black or Perigord truffle (Tuber melanosporum), named for the region in France where it originated.  The other main truffle types are white truffles (Tuber magnatum (Piedmont) or Tuber borchii (Tuscan)), typically associated with the Piedmont region of Italy; the Chinese truffle (Tuber sinense, Tuber indicum, and Tuber himalayense) from Asia; and the black summer truffle (Tuber aestivum/unicinatum), commonest in central Europe but also found in Turkey and north Africa.  The Chinese truffle is relatively plentiful and much lower in quality and hence price than the truffles that originate in Europe.

The focus of the Australian truffle industry is on the French black truffle, though at least one grower in Tasmania also produces the summer truffle (Tuber aestivum).  The black truffle typically forms on the roots of oak and hazelnut trees.  The truffles mature during the winter months, emitting an intense perfume that enables trained pigs or dog to be used to detect their presence. Properties from which truffles are gathered are called truffières.

The Australian truffle industry was established in 1992 when trees inoculated with the spore of Tuber melanosporum (French black truffle) were planted in Tasmania.  By 2006, around 30 truffières had been established in Tasmania and the cooler parts of the Australian mainland.  The mainland truffières are located as far north as Orange in New South Wales, but are mostly located in the Southern Highlands and Southern Tableland regions of New South Wales; the Bendigo and Gippsland regions of Victoria; and the Manjimup region of Western Australia.

Estimated production of black truffles in Australia in 2007 was 800 kilograms , around two-thirds of which was produced in Western Australia.  The estimated gross value of production in 2007 was $1.64 million.  Australia has traditionally exported some truffles of very low quality (not black truffles) and appears to import high quality truffles.

Background

There are few reliable production statistics for the world truffle industry.  The main producers of high quality truffles are France, Italy and Spain, with China a large producer of the much lower priced Chinese truffle.  There are increasing numbers of what are termed artificial truffières in Australia, New Zealand and the United States but aggregate production is still small.

French black truffle production was around 1000 tonnes at the beginning of the twentieth century, but has declined to only 8–40 tonnes over the last decade due to destruction of natural growing areas, particularly due to the two world wars

Prices received for Australian produced truffles benefit from being able to supply fresh truffles in the off season for northern hemisphere producers.  Based on the number and age structure of inoculated trees growing in Australia in 2007, Australian truffle production is projected to rise to around 2 tonnes in 2010.  This level of production would probably put considerable downward pressure of prices currently available for Australian-produced French black truffles.

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