The Central Fruit and Vegetable Market’s mushrooms campaign has got off to the worst start in the past five years. The lack of rain and the high temperatures recorded in September and October led to a mushroom shortage in a season when mushrooms play an important role at the Market.

For example, 26,343 kg of milk cap mushrooms were marketed over these two months, 84% less than the same period in 2010. Meanwhile, 31,781 kg of other types of mushrooms were sold, 70% down from last year. To make up for the lack of local mushrooms, wholesalers imported them from France and Eastern Europe, particularly Bulgaria. Although it will be hard to make up for lost ground, the rain in the past weeks has seen the first mushrooms starting to appear in Catalan forests.

On the bright side, two other typical autumn products, chestnuts and sweet potatoes, have started the season well. Some 1,135,208 kg of sweet potatoes were sold in September and October, 4.2% more than in 2010. Chestnut sales (1,148,676 kg) were up 13.5% over the same period last year but, despite the good sales, their quality has declined, mainly because of the dry weather in September and October.