UMDIS Mushroom Agency reached out to  to Giorgio Grespan the vice president of Fungi De Treviso, a big mushroom cooperative in Italy. He shared their thoughts on the problems Italian mushroom growers are dealing with. One big challenge is competing with large European producers who can grow and sell mushrooms at lower prices. Another major issue is the lack of enough compost, which makes it harder for farmers to grow mushrooms.

The Italian mushroom market has long been known for its quality produce, but in recent years, growers have found it difficult to keep up with competitors from countries like Poland. “Poland dominates the European market with better prices and bigger production quantities,” explained Giorgio. This has forced Italian growers to focus more on local markets, supplying supermarkets, fresh markets, and the frozen food industry rather than looking to export.

2024 was a mixed year for Italian growers. Although prices increased, it was largely due to compost shortages that affected production levels. Between May and June, Italian compost suppliers faced problems that led to a change in supply. Production dropped by around 20 to 30% from June to November. According to Giorgio, it was tough for growers during that period, but the higher prices at least helped balance things a bit. Production levels finally returned to normal by December.

Fungi De Treviso plays a great role in supplying compost, producing 70% of Italy’s compost needs. However, even that isn’t enough. Every week, 20 to 25 truckloads of compost are imported from Holland and Hungary, significantly increasing costs for growers. “Transporting compost is expensive, and that makes it harder for local growers to expand,” said Giorgio. “If someone wants to build a new growing room, the first problem is where to get compost.”

Italy produces between 50,000 and 60,000 tons of mushrooms annually, with Agaricus mushrooms (such as button and cremini mushrooms) making up 85 to 90% of the total production. White mushrooms remain the most popular, as brown varieties don’t sell as well in Italy as they do in countries like Germany.

Mushroom prices have increased steadily over the past two years, rising by 20 cents per kilogram. However, compost prices have also gone up due to rising energy costs, creating further challenges for growers. Despite these hurdles, Fungi De Treviso remains optimistic about the future.

The Italian mushroom market faces many challenges, but growers like those at Fungi De Treviso continue to adapt and find ways to thrive. Fungi De Treviso operates as a cooperative of 12 farms, working together to manage production and sales. The cooperative model allows them to share profits and overcome market challenges as a group. “We’re proud of how we support each other and keep things running”.

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