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Prospective producers in Artvin's Yusufeli district took part in a hands-on training session aimed at teaching them how to locate truffle mushrooms in their natural habitat and harvest them properly, working alongside trained truffle-hunting dogs.
At the Truffle Mushroom Collection and Awareness Training organized by the Artvin Regional Directorate of Forestry at the Yusufeli Forest Management Directorate, prospective producers tracked truffle mushrooms alongside trained dogs.
The training, held to promote the sustainable use of truffle mushrooms, protect their natural habitats and raise awareness among new producers, was carried out in two stages: theoretical and practical.
During the theoretical portion of the program, participants were briefed on the ecological characteristics of truffle mushrooms, their economic value, growing conditions, proper harvesting methods, and how production can be sustained without harming the environment.
In the practical portion of the training, participants went out into a forested area with trained truffle-hunting dogs.
As the dogs guided the search, participants were shown hands-on how truffle mushrooms are detected in their natural environment while also being taught proper techniques for extracting the mushrooms from the soil and preserving the surrounding area.
The fieldwork, carried out in areas of degraded oak forest as well as stands of Scots pine and black pine, allowed prospective producers to examine the natural habitats of truffle mushrooms firsthand.
The training was attended by Metin Inan, deputy regional director of forestry in Artvin; Dr. Askin Kirac, head of the Ecosystem Services Department; as well as forest management chiefs and technical staff from the Yusufeli Forest Management Directorate.
Meanwhile, truffle mushroom prices range from €250 to €6,000 ($3,000 to $6,000) per kilogram, depending on the species, freshness, and origin.
In the Turkish market, 20- to 40-gram packages of fresh black truffle sell for between ₺280 and ₺500, while rare white truffles can fetch up to $5,000 per kilogram abroad.
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