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Many countries that import or export chanterelles also have local, regional, and national chanterelle markets. Citing statistics from the Agricultural Marketing Service, Fruit and Vegetable Division, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Haugen (2001) reports U.S. wholesale market prices for chanterelles to be $22 per pound in Dallas, Texas, and to range between $4.50 and $11.25 per pound in San Francisco during the most recent autumn fruiting season (September through November 2001). Although the United States might not import many chanterelles, starting in 2004, fresh mushrooms imported into the United States and sold in retail markets will need to have the country of origin labeled (Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002). In Sweden, in 1993, about 50 metric tons of golden chanterelles were sold in local markets. Swedish chanterelles retail for about $10.00 per pound. Harvesters can either market their chanterelles directly to consumers for $6.00 per pound or sell in bulk to wholesalers for about $0.80 per pound. Up to $555 (5,000 SEK 18) per person of annual income from mushroom, berry, and cone picking is tax free, so a family of four can earn up to $2,220 per year tax free from the harvest of such nontimber forest products. Because Swedish forests produce about 450 to 2500 metric tons of fresh chanterelles annually and at least 40 percent of the population picks mushrooms at least once a year, Kardell and others (1980) surmised that large quantities are consumed without ever reaching the market. Indeed, many Europeans enjoy harvesting their own mushrooms as much as eating them. There is even a book on training dogs to find chanterelles (Hallgren and Hansson-Hallgren 1990). |
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