SEPTEMBER RAIN PRODUCES BUMPER MUSHROOM CROP

SEPTEMBER RAIN PRODUCES BUMPER MUSHROOM CROP

(ANSA) - Rome, October 7 - Last month's unusually high amount of rainfall, especially in the south, has produced a bumper crop of mushrooms, the Coldiretti farmers union reported on Wednesday.

In the northern Reggio Emilia region's Val di Taro, which produces the only mushroom which has qualified for a European Union quality PGI stamp, the Borgotaro, the production of porcini mushrooms has set a new record, Coldiretti said.

Mushroom harvesting in the northeast region of Piedmont started late this year, due to a lack of rain and high temperatures in August, but is now in full swing and producing a much better than expected crop.

Record harvests are also being reported in southern Italy where September rainfall was the second highest in the post two centuries, after 1939, between 200 to 300% above average while in Sicily it was some 400% above the average recorded between 1960 and 1990, the reference period used by the National Research Council (CNR).

According to Coldiretti, the almost 10 million hectares of forests which cover one third of Italy should be able to produce this year and estimate 30,000 tonnes of mushrooms in all varieties.