Switzerland: Chinese morel has invaded the market for 5 years

ThoseTrade and gastronomy –“Chinese morel has been invading the Swiss market for 4 to 5 years”

The part of the wilderies found on the stalls is increasingly reduced. The morel cultivated in China since 2016 is gaining ground.

Posted today at 11:51 am

• Chinese morels from culture now dominate the Swiss market.
• Wild morels offer more intense aromas than cultivated.
• Canada remains a major supplier of quality wild morels.
• Fast drying is crucial to preserve the properties of morels.

What is the origin of the morels found in Switzerland?

In supermarkets, there are mainly the Morous of China, India and Pakistan, and a little from Turkey. I observe that the growing cultivation is taking up more and more space. The share of wilderies, which is picked for example in Canada, is increasingly reduced.

China has become essential in this area, right?

Yes, Chinese morel has invaded the Swiss market for 4 to 5 years. Since 2016, China has been able to cultivate more in an industrial way, after a Chinese scientist has discovered a process to develop mycelium (Editor’s note: underground roots of the fungus, serving as a seed for the culture). Before, it was impossible to cultivate them.

Other countries getting started?

Yes, Bulgaria began to produce Morille mycelium, which it exports to European countries. Many European countries want to cultivate it, including France, but the costs remain higher than in China. The Chinese morel is 3 to 4 times cheaper for sale among wholesalers and distributors than the European.

Is there a difference in taste between wilderness and culture?

Yes, of course, a morel that pushes under a coniferous or under a leave will have notes and powerful tastes brought by its environment. A morel of culture will push underground and will have no interference with the forest, which will limit its aromas. In the markets, people often tell us that they no longer have a taste, and it is not for nothing. People do not always find themselves there tastefully with the growing cultivation.

Do you sell wilderness or culture?

I only sell wild, natural and untreated morel, harvested in Canada, an essential country in this area, in Türkiye and still in Patagonia (Argentina). We also have some who come from Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and the Moroccan Atlas. We sometimes also have a little Swiss morels, as in 2023 and 2024 which have proven exceptional years.

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Are there Swiss cultivation morels?

Yes, there are some operators who have launched In the country, but it remains expensive to produce. I see that it is doing a lot in France today.

Are they still sold dried?

Yes. After picking, you have to dry them as quickly as possible, during the day, which keeps optimal quality. If you return at noon, the morels must have started to dry at 5 p.m., in the air very soft, to keep a maximum of properties (taste, vitamins, proteins, fibers, antioxidant).