The Omani Market adjacent to the Central Market in Abu Hamour has started receiving Algerian truffles, it is learnt.
The Omani Market adjacent to the Central Market in Abu Hamour has started receiving Algerian truffles, it is learnt.
An auction was held there recently to sell 15 boxes of these truffles, local Arabic daily Arrayah reported.
The process was closely monitored by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and Ministry of Economy and Commerce in order to control both the quality and prices of the said item.
Retailers said that prices of the commodity is relatively high because it is the start of the season and truffles are highly favoured by Qataris, who are keen to buy the items even when the rates are on the higher side, according to the daily.
A 4kg box of premium Algerian truffles was being sold for between QR1,000 and QR1,600 while other varieties cost between QR600 and QR1,200 for a similar box.
The retailers said prices are likely to “fall considerably” by mid-January as more than 150 boxes of truffles are expected to arrive at the market daily by air.
In addition, Turkish and Iranian truffles would also reach the market from February, they said.
Retail shops at the market currently sell truffles at QR350-400/kg for the premium quality and QR200-250/kg for other types, the daily adds.
Traders at the market said that truffle is a seasonal item and the municipality has assigned them temporary outlets at the market for dealing in this product.
Regarding the availability of Qatari truffles, the retailers said it is unlikely to happen this season “due to a delay in rainfall in the local desert areas”.
A customer familiar with the product said that some Qataris would undertake trips to the desert to look for wild truffles as the commodity used to be available in good numbers there.
However, this year truffle lovers are only likely to them in the market this year, it was observed.
