According to the latest summary of the Hungarian Horticultural Council, mushroom cultivation can be largely developed, the cultivation may increase at least than double, to 50-70 thousand tonnes, the number of employees in the sector could be increased to 8-10 thousands compared to the currently 3-5 thousand.
According to the Council, increasing the proportion of quality products, the production value could reach annually 35-40 billion forints compared to the current 12-13 billion. The key to taking advantage of the possibilities is that the national mushroom consumption of 1.5 kg per person should be increased to 3 kg, the export, however, should be extended to 24-40 thousand tonnes. Hungarian mushroom production is pretty declined in recent years: annually 25 thousand tons of button mushrooms, 2,3 thousand tons of oyster mushrooms and about 10-20 tons of shiitake are produced.
In addition, 2.5 million liters of mushroom germ and 160 thousand tons of button mushroom and oyster mushroom and 15 thousand tons of oyster mushroom substrate and compost are produced. To achieve this goal, the current capacity of compost production in 4 years must be doubled, including 100 heat treatment units, which are tunnels for the compost production. In addition, 60 new outdoor cultivation farms are needed and the problem of modernization of current farms must be solved as well. For the mushroom processing must be created a conservation capacity of 10,000 tons which may no longer be sold as fresh product.
To realize this mentioned plans, a total of nearly 40 billion forints are needed. The growers would cover 24 billion forints from this sum and support would be 16 billion forints which is 40 percent of intensity. The contemplated ideas could be implemented under favorable circumstances in five years, but at the latest by the end of this decade – said László Nagy, head of the mushroom section FruitVeB.
He added, mushroom growers would provide a marketing base for the promotion of national consumption by paying 1 Forint after each kilogram of sold mushroom. Mushroom consumption would be promoted from that amount of money. Currently, the 40-45 percent of cultivated mushroom is exported from Hungary abroad. This rate would not change after the implementation of the developments – told the expert.
Source: MTI
