In what many consider a national pastime, Czech citizens collected an impressive 31,000 tons of forest mushrooms and berries last year, surpassing the previous year’s haul of 28,850 tons. While this shows a year-over-year increase, it remains below the long-term average of 38,140 tons recorded since 1994, according to a recent study by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Faculty of Forestry at the Czech University of Agriculture in Prague.
Mushrooms dominated the collection with 21,300 tons, followed by blueberries (4,400 tons), raspberries (2,200 tons), and blackberries (1,600 tons). The total value of these foraged delights reached an estimated 7.2 billion Czech crowns in 2024. Though fewer households participated in foraging compared to previous years, those who did collect gathered more per household, with the average mushroom haul increasing to 6.91 kilograms.
The Czech affinity for forests continues to grow, with citizens visiting woodlands an average of 44 times per year in 2024, just slightly below the record 47 visits in 2023. This represents a significant increase from 2018 when Czechs ventured into forests only about 20 times annually. Nearly three-quarters of the population visit forests at least monthly, with 23 percent going multiple times weekly.
Unlike some European countries, mushroom gathering remains legal in the Czech Republic for personal use, provided it doesn’t damage the forest. By contrast, in the Netherlands, mushroom collection is completely prohibited and treated as poaching, while other countries impose strict daily limits. Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný notes, “Czechs have an exceptional relationship with forest gathering. For us, forests aren’t just economic spaces but places of rest, tradition, and connection with nature”.
For enthusiasts looking to maximize their foraging success, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute provides maps showing the probability of mushroom growth based on moisture conditions. Many Czechs also share their finds and productive locations on specialized websites like nahouby.cz.