The first morels cultivated in Hérault grow in Béziers

Daniel David fait maintenant partie des 120 producteurs de morilles français. – F.Faux

Daniel David est un pionnier de cette culture délicate, mais qui rapporte beaucoup.

Daniel David is a happy peasant, a type who doesn't roam the streets these days. On his land on the outskirts of Béziers, he guides the visitor to a greenhouse, opens a canvas curtain, and stands aside in front of a mossy flowerbed where black, conical mushroom heads, mounted on d& ;rsquo;impeccable ivory-white feet: "The first morels cultivated in Hérault", he proudly announces.

The cultivation of mushrooms, in caves or old mining galleries, dates back to ancient times. In France, mushroom farms producing the famous Paris mushroom numbered in the hundreds until the 1970s. But the cultivation of morels is more recent, and more delicate. & quot;You must already acquire the mycelium, the seed, which is attached to cereal grains, explains the myciculturist. We sow these grains by hand, on a humus mat, then we must maintain perfect freshness and humidity. The morel is a “cold” mushroom. After three months, the little morels begin to point… You still have to wait two more weeks to harvest them at full maturity."

And the result is enough to panic all mushroom lovers: here, the morels stand proudly, lined up as if on parade, just waiting to end up in an omelette or velouté . No need for fertilizer, or to sweat for hours in the undergrowth digging through piles of dead leaves

A former mason converted to market gardening, Daniel David was until then content to grow melons, watermelons, tomatoes and other salads. He is also passionate about mushrooms; but between picking and production, there is a world of difference:"When I told my colleagues that I was getting into this, they thought I was crazy", remembers- he. The market gardener therefore met other converts to the morel (the closest are in the Tarn and the Pyrénées-Orientales). He also followed training courses, in particular to control the acidity of the soil, which in Béziers must be amended with limestone.

Today, he regrets nothing. The morel, the most expensive mushroom on the market after the truffle, sells for 160 euros per kilo to individuals, a little less to restaurateurs. Once the good weather returns, and the harvest is over, he will also be able to dedicate his greenhouse to the cultivation of “hot” mushrooms, such as oyster mushrooms.

In the greenhouse, automatic watering has just been triggered, causing a slight mist: "We must water very finely, but also protect the mushrooms from the rain, comments Daniel David. A single drop of water can break the small morels." For now, he considers this crop as& nbsp;a test, on 200 square meters. But he plans to reach 2,000 square meters next year, and to further triple this surface area within four years.

An exceptional product

These cultivated morels taste exactly the same as those that grow in the forest. Another advantage: they are always picked when ripe, neither too young, nor too damaged or wormy: "Individuals are interested because they no longer want to consume&nbsp ;dried morel, which often comes from China. As for the chefs, they want to come see me: morels from Hérault, it’s an opportunity for them to use a new local product, welcomes Daniel David.

The French consume nearly 2.5 kg of mushrooms per year, but only a quarter of the products sold in France are French. You can find those of Daniel David on the Facebook page "Champi d’Oc".