Early Berries and Mushrooms Hit Lithuanian Markets with High Prices

The first wild strawberries and chanterelle mushrooms are appearing in Lithuanian markets, but their scarcity and the early season mean high prices are deterring many shoppers. Vendors consistently advise eager consumers to wait a bit longer for the peak season to arrive.

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It's not the season yet, so those who want cheaper berries and mushrooms will have to wait a little longer.

In Panevėžys Central Market, only a few vendors were offering wild strawberries, and just one had chanterelle mushrooms. One vendor, Andžela, explained that the berries and mushrooms were gathered in the Raguvėlė area. She is selling a 200-gram glass of strawberries for 5 euros, which translates to about 20 euros per liter. A half-liter of chanterelles costs 10 euros.

These prices are considerably lower than those found in Vilnius, the capital. In Vilnius, 200 grams of wild strawberries can cost between 8 and 9 euros, and 400 grams of chanterelles are priced around 10 euros. Andžela acknowledged that prices are higher out of season but emphasized the significant effort required to gather these delicate fruits and fungi.

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When it's not the season, the price is higher. On the other hand, only those who want to buy are indignant about the current price – they don't appreciate the effort involved. Strawberries are special berries. And they don't grow on asphalt – you need to know where they grow and travel to them.

"When it's not the season, the price is higher. On the other hand, only those who want to buy are indignant about the current price – they don't appreciate the effort involved," she said. "Strawberries are special berries. And they don't grow on asphalt – you need to know where they grow and travel to them."

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You can. More precisely, since the end of July 2016, the ban on picking chanterelles with caps smaller than 1 centimeter in diameter was lifted.

Regarding mushroom picking, Asta Pačekajūtė, director of the Panevėžys Central Market, clarified that the ban on picking small chanterelles, which was in place until 2016, has been lifted. This decision was made after assessing that the quantity of small mushrooms does not significantly impact mushroom resources. However, she stressed that foragers must still avoid damaging the forest floor, mycelium, moss, or lichen, and must carefully uproot or cut mushrooms at the stem.

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And while foraging, it is still forbidden to disturb the forest floor, mycelium, moss, or lichen, and to damage old, inedible, or other unpicked mushrooms. Furthermore, the mushroom must be slowly and carefully uprooted or its stem cut close to the ground.