A few white truffles weighing around 850 grams were sold for €75,000 at traditional auction sales in Alba, in the north of Italy.
Hong Kong entrepreneur bought truffles via satellite.
“The situation is a bit better lately, but this year will not be marked with a large sale of white truffles,” said Isabelle Gianicolo of the National Truffle Study Centre.
She explained that drought has contributed to a lower number of truffles and poorer quality. The prices at auctions are far higher than at markets where the price ranges from around €6,000 per kilogram of this rare mushrooms.
White Truffles
Truffles are highly sought delicacies on the Christmas table of the rich because of the specific taste and aroma.
White truffles, which grow in forests, are less and less in the past years in Italy, primarily due to climate change.
The town of Alba in the Italian province of Piedmont every year organizes a fair of white truffles during which it is also an auction sale.
