The summer’s bad weather has been a blessing to UK truffle growers, who are predicting a bumper crop this year. Truffle UK Ltd, which cultivates commercially grown truffles, began harvesting the Burgundy truffle (tuber uncinatum) at a farm in Wiltshire last week.

And the UK’s main competition - Italy, France and Spain - is predicting a poor harvest and low yield due to a heatwave on the continent.

“Last year, Truffle UK harvested around 80kg of truffles in the UK, and this season we will easily exceed that,” said Nigel Hadden-Paton, director of Truffle UK. “Our main customers are chefs and private individuals, but we are receiving more and more demands as people realise that truffles can be found on our shores, rather than having to order them from overseas.

“The new truffle crop is wonderful; the truffles are larger than last year, and as the season develops, so will their perfume and flavour,” he added.

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