Home
Truffle News
Who We Are
Company History
What Are Truffles?
Victoria & NSW
The First Harvest
Harvest 2008
Truffle Marketing
Purchasing Trees
Map of Sites
Research
Tree Nursery
Harvesting
Purchasing Truffles
Contact Details

Purchasing Trees

Perigord Truffles of Tasmania currently offers two means by which people can become involved in the truffle industry:

1. A joint venture arrangement between the farmer and PTT

2. Non-contracted trees sales and support services.

Joint Venture

 The French black truffle industry in Tasmania was initially established under a joint venture arrangement with farmers. A joint venture arrangement was developed because the company’s market research strongly indicated that farmers would prefer to be involved in an industry where they could concentrate on production. The information gained from a series of farmer focus groups held around the state was that having a coordinated approach to the research, harvesting and marketing of truffles was the most desirable approach. Farmers indicated that they were not interested in having to train their own truffle harvesting dogs and then compete with other farmers to sell their truffles in the market.

Under the joint venture arrangement, landholders interested in growing truffles have their properties assessed by PTT for a site considered to be suitable for the production of truffles. The minimum size of a truffière under the joint venture is one hectare. Those landholders with a suitable site, purchase inoculated hazel or oak seedlings from the company.

The joint venture arrangement means that all of the truffles harvested are sold through the company to ensure efficient marketing and distribution of the crop and to maintain quality control. As part of the arrangement, the company provides technical advice to the growers; conducts research and development; and is responsible for training truffle dogs and harvesting the crop.

Currently, there are 75 hectares of truffle plantations in Tasmania, and an expanding number of joint venture and non-contract sites in Victoria and NSW.  For the approximate location of these sites, see Map of Sites. 

An outline of the joint venture arrangement is as follows. It is the grower's responsibility to purchase the trees and to provide the land, labour and infrastructure necessary for production. Perigord Truffles of Tasmania provide the following at no additional cost to the grower.

• An ongoing consultancy service, which includes advice on:
  • Initial site inspection
  • Interpretation of soil analysis and recommendations for corrective nutrient applications
  • Pre-planting cultivation and weed control
  • Advice on planting procedure
  • Irrigation design and scheduling
  • Fencing design
  • Pruning techniques
  • Regular monitoring of the soil pH and nutrient levels
  • Annual maintenance program
  • PTT's agronomist will regularly visit all truffières
• Crop harvesting with specially trained dogs
• Product grading and quality control
• Marketing of truffles harvested. 
  • Developing the international market for Australian truffles
  • Developing value added truffle products for that portion of the crop that is not suitable for the fresh restaurant market
  • PTT retains sole marketing rights
• The company will undertake to pursue and co-ordinate all available research and development funding for both production and marketing

Income derived from the sale of truffles is equally divided between the company and the growers.

Farmers should appreciate that there is a lead-time involved in the preparation of the sites before the inoculated trees can be planted.

Non-Contracted Tree Sales and Support Services

Perigord Truffles of Tasmania offers non-contracted tree sales for those people who have decided that they would like to 'do it themselves'.  These trees are well established (typically about one year old) and have been inspected to ensure that the Tuber melanosporum fungus has successfully colonised the root system. The trees are provided with an information sheet on how to establish and maintain your truffière.

In addition to providing the inoculated oak and hazel trees, we can also provide support services in the form of technical advice, harvesting and marketing. 

Technical Support

Our technical support service is on a fee for service consultancy basis covering such areas as;

• Advice on site selection
• Soil testing and interpretation
• Recommendations for corrective nutrient applications
• Pre-planting cultivation and weed control
• Irrigation design and scheduling
• Fencing design
• Pruning techniques

Truffle Harvesting

Perigord Truffles of Tasmania have appointed Mr. Steve Austin of Sydney to train dogs for the truffle harvest (see Harvesting).

We have skilled dog handlers strategically located in those areas of southern Australia where our trees have been planted. This harvesting service will be available on a fee for service basis to people who have purchased our trees.