�鶹��ýӳ��

However, prospects this month are much better with the Féd­ération Départementale des Truffi­culteurs du Périgord saying the sought-after Tuber melanosporum were “more black, cheaper but better quality” than last month and were starting to appear in real numbers.

Périgord production had been “starting to improve” as Christ­mas approached, helped by some owners watering private plantations to give a boost, but this could not be overdone.

However, the federation ad­mitted quality “was not good” and its inspectors had even prevented some truffles – deemed to be immature and damaged – from being sold in the auction.

Over the border in Lot, prices were double last year’s, at €850 a kilo, and set to rise even further – making what some buyers said was a ‘real luxury product’.