In a coup for Queanbeyan, Australian truffle growers will converge on the city for a conference to discover the best growing methods after overseas experts were dumbfounded with the current techniques.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Founder of the Australian Truffle Growers Association and owner of Bluefrog Truffle Farm in Sutton, Wayne Haslam has organised the three-day event slated for November.
He said the conference will give growers the chance to showcase ideas, share knowledge and find out what other "truffieres" are doing to increase productivity.
"The difference [this year] is, in the past we've done quite a bit of work to bring foreigners in, from France and Spain, who have well-established industries," Mr Haslam said.
"But they're all a bit dumbfounded with some of the things we're doing here to cope with our particular conditions."
Mr Haslam said truffle farms across Australia bring in truck-loads of lime to make the soils alkaline for truffle growth, as they generally don't grow in the naturally-occurring acidic soil.
He said the overseas experts had difficulty relating their growing experience to what is going on here, so the conference was a vital way for Australian growers to discuss ways they have developed to increase yield.
"Being underground of course you've got no idea what the crop is going to look like and it's subject to the weather.
"Through the summer when they're starting to grow, you've got to keep the moisture up and we don't harvest them until we really start to get the cold weather."
Often referred to as "black gold", Australian truffles can fetch about $2000 a kilo. Last year, Mr Haslam harvested 50 kilograms of the delicacy from his farm in Sutton. He said the growing region from the Southern Highlands to the Snowy Mountains would have produced in excess of half a tonne of the commodity.
"Each year, it increases a bit. You try new things; I've just done a bit more cultivation. We will never know until we dig it up though and that is a bit of a challenge."
He said New South Wales has the highest number of truffle growers, while Western Australia has the biggest yield. Although there is potential to catch up to Western Australian producers, who harvested six tonne last season, it would be a while before that happened.
Mr Haslam said the new and emerging industry has significant potential in Australia.
Member for Monaro John Barilaro said on Monday that Queanbeyan would host the Australian Truffle Growers conference and annual meeting.
"The Australian Truffle Growers Association confirmed that New South Wales holds the record for the biggest French Black Perigord truffle ever recorded in Australia, weighing in at 1.172 kilograms, so it is absolutely fitting that the industry's key event be hosted in this region," Mr Barilaro said.