Northern Sask. chanterelle mushrooms ready for pickers

Chanterelle mushrooms are in season and local pickers can sell them for $10 per pound.

“They are really starting to come with some size now and we had all that rain in June, so that set that stage,” said Keewatin Community Development Association CEO Randy Johns, who manages Air Ronge-based Boreal Heartland Herbal Products.

“Last year, I think it was at $12 for a while, but it started at $10. It depends on the year. It might stay there or, if there is a whole lot of mushrooms, it might go down after a while.”

The chanterelle mushroom picking season began last week and Johns expects it to continue until at least the middle of August. He noted, however, the season could extend longer than that as it mostly depends on the weather and growing conditions.

Chanterelles are the most sought-after mushroom in Northern Saskatchewan, prized for their high quality and unique taste. Every year, buyers for B.C.-based companies set up camp at the Highway 2 and 165 junction (Pine Creek) to purchase mushrooms from local pickers.

After the mushrooms are transported to B.C. and sorted by size, they are sent to countries around the world. The price for mushrooms tends to fluctuate every year with the buying price being $6.50 in 2020 and 2021.

The morel crop in Northern Saskatchewan wasn’t as strong as Johns hoped it would be. Those mushrooms grow in burn areas and Johns hoped there would be a lot in a burn area near Besnard Lake, but that didn’t turn out to be. He did buy some morels from the Deschambeault Lake area and from the west side of the Northern Saskatchewan.

“They sort of came and then they didn’t do much,” Johns said.

“They are only following a fire and there wasn’t much markets for them either because they had a lot of morels over in B.C., so the B.C. morels filled the market pretty much.”

As for other forest products, Johns is currently buying fireweed and labrador tea. In the coming weeks, he will also be buying sarsaparilla root, cranberries and juniper berries.

“We need juniper berries, lots of junipers. We could sell all of the juniper berries we can get,” he said.

Those seeking to sell mushrooms can do so at the Boreal Heartland Herbal Products camp at Pine Creek or at 319 Husky Avenue in Air Ronge.

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

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