Italy truffle season hit by dry summer in Piedmont

Truffle hunters and dealers in Italy's Piedmont region say a dry summer has left black truffles increasingly scarce at the start of the season.

Giuseppe Esposito, 69, said he found only two small truffles during a night search with his dog near Pietra Marazzi. He said the area needed rain in July or August.

Marco Boido, a truffle dealer and restaurateur in nearby Alessandria, said the season had started badly and that production was down about 50 percent one month in. He said this year's truffles were smaller but more fragrant.

A truffle hunter who works for Boido said white truffle production was also disrupted, while another hunter in Umbria said cooler, enclosed mountain valleys had fared better because they retained moisture.

Truffle gathering is a rural tradition in Italy and can be a source of supplementary income. White truffles can be worth several thousand euros per kilogram, while premium black truffles typically sell for hundreds of euros per kilogram.

Italy has also faced competition from Spain's expanding truffle industry. A 2025 Italian government bill aimed at encouraging more plantation production remains stuck in the Senate after opposition from traditional truffle hunters.