Truffles: Black Gold for South African Farmers

Growing black winter truffles can be a highly lucrative undertaking for farmers looking to diversify their enterprises. Volker and Paul Miros, who run Woodford Truffles SA, spoke to Marinda Louw Coetzee about the expert knowledge and capital required to do so.

- By Marinda Louw Coetzee. Photos by Marinda Louw Coetzee

FAST FACTS

For optimal growth, truffles need alkaline soil, and at least 800 cold units per year.

Truffle production requires a symbiotic relationship between the fungi and the roots of specific trees.

As black winter truffles are harvested in winter, South Africa can supply Northern Hemisphere markets during their off-season.

Truffle farming in South Africa began more than 70 years ago, albeit on another continent. In the Black Forest in south-western Germany, Volker Miros was foraging mushrooms with his opa. Meanwhile, in Sea Point, Cape Town, Angela Wilson was growing up in a house called ‘Woodford’.

Angela would later marry Volker, and her childhood home would lend its name to their business, Woodford Truffles SA, which Volker established in 2005, and of which Angela is the financial director.

Volker has become known as the truffle guru of South Africa, and it’s easy to see why. He has 22ha under the crop (7ha in production) on his farm Groenfontein, an hour’s drive from Ceres, and has spent 12 years researching, travelling, reading and testing most aspects of truffle farming. In addition, he has partnered with 10 truffle producers across the country.