Mushroom foraging season begins with good prospects due to recent rains

The mushroom season has officially begun in the Pyrenees. After a three-year drought that led to poor mushroom harvests, recent rains have brought optimism to lovers of the precious fungi. 

Mycologist Juan Martínez de Aragón expects this season to be "decent", but much better than the last five seasons, which he described as "a disaster."

This year, experts are predicting an average yield of between 50 and 60 kilograms of mushrooms per hectare.

"The drought in the forests has been reversed and we expect a good mushroom crop," says Ramon Minoves, president of the Penya Boletaire de Berga.  

However, the overall success of the season depends on two key weather factors: continued rainfall and the absence of freezing temperatures.  

Although the mushroom season usually begins in October, a rainy summer has brought an early start in September. The season usually ends in November when frost sets in. 

The season has already started in the Pyrenean regions of Cerdanya, Alt Urgell, Val d'Aran and Ripollès, as well as in the northern region of Berguedà, one of the most famous mushroom hunting areas.  

So far, the most common mushrooms found at the beginning of the season are ceps, rovellons, rossinyols and apagallums.

The mushroom hunting boom

The growing popularity of mushroom hunting has led to some conflicts in the forests. 

Minoves believes that "the massification of mushroom hunting is not beneficial" and urges people to be "considerate and respectful of the forests".   

Mycologists also warn that constant foot traffic in popular foraging areas can have a negative impact on mushroom growth.   

To learn more about mushroom foraging, listen to this episode of our podcast, Filling the Sink.