Nowadays, truffles are often called the “BLACK DIAMOND” of the soil. The value of truffles is constantly on the rise, due in part to urbanization destroying truffle forests as well as the inability of truffles cultivated in truffle farms to meet rising demand in recent years. In the 1860s, the global supply-demand balance for truffles was around 2000 tons/year. Today, despite the rise of truffle farms, this figure fails to exceed 400 tons annually. This downturn in supply is due to deforestation via both wars and urbanization over the past centuries. The solution is to cultivate truffles in farms and gardens under controlled conditions. Truffle cultivation is one of the highest value-added farming investments. Turkey is quite lucky in this regard, as most of its territory is suitable for truffle farming.
Mycorrhizae such as truffles love to grow at the root of oak trees, which grow naturally throughout our country. Another enticing aspect of truffle farming is that it doesn’t always require fertile agricultural land; it can easily be done on rocky, steep, calcareous soil or terrain that isn’t normally fit for agriculture. By setting up gardens on such barren soil, it’s possible to generate very high returns within 5 to 8 years.
As is the case with all “high-yield” investments, success in truffle cultivation is also dependent on knowledge, experience, advanced technologies, and savvy controls. Thanks to Demirsoy Tarim’s own R&D team, our employees with more than 15 years of experience in the truffle industry, as well as the collaborative work we’ve done with many international professors and academics who specialize in truffles, in 2015, we established a “Truffle-Inoculated Seedling” production facility the likes of which the world has never seen. We sell oak, hazel, chestnut, and linden seedlings inoculated with truffles, which we cultivate at this unique greenhouse as well as conducting mycorrhizal analyses and tests.
If you would like to establish a truffle farm or purchase “Truffle-Inoculated Seedlings” please contact us or visit our “Store” page.
The most important elements in truffle growing are having the right soil, climate, and plant species. The appropriate soil is one that is alkaline (with a pH of 7-9) and well-drained. Infertile, rocky, and alkaline soil may be unsuitable for other types of agriculture, but it forms the ideal conditions for truffle farming. Mediterranean climate is ideal, with winter truffles (Tuber melanosporum) growing in areas where there are summer rains, while the summer truffles (Tuber aestivum) grow in more arid regions. The climate of the Black Sea region is suitable for both types of truffles to grow. When it comes to the ideal plant species, truffles form a symbiotic relationship with oak and pine varieties as well as hazel, alder, poplar, and silver birch trees. You’ll find black summer truffles growing in just about every region throughout Turkey. Regional weather conditions and tree varieties are important to keep in mind when embarking on truffle farming.