Recently, UMDIS conducted a growing course at FUNGAR Farm in Italy, where we met Javier Sanchez from Abrantes Mushroom in Chile. He shared insights into the country’s mushroom market and how their family business has developed over the years.
Abrantes produces about 400 tons of white mushrooms each month, making it one of the largest producers in Chile. According to Javier, there are only two or three big mushroom farms in the country, along with a few smaller ones.
Chile, with a population of around 18 million people, consumes approximately 1,000 tons of mushrooms every month. “It’s taken years of work to build up this demand,” said Javier, noting that the growth has come from introducing mushrooms gradually to the public and improving availability.
The business started in the early 1980s when Javier’s father began a small-scale mushroom production. He later traveled to Europe to learn more about the technology and methods used in the industry. In 2011, the family partnered with another group to grow the business further.
Today, all fresh mushrooms consumed in Chile are produced locally. “We don’t import or export fresh mushrooms,” Javier explained. “Everything stays in the country.”
The Chilean mushroom market has seen steady growth of around 8–10% annually over the last decade. However, recent events like COVID-19 have slowed the pace. Despite that, Abrantes Mushrooms is currently expanding its production by 20%.
Javier believes that Chile is ahead of other South American countries in mushroom production. “Peru and Argentina have lower levels of consumption and less investment in mushroom farming,” he said. “I don’t know much about Brazil.”
Watch the full interview with Javier Sanchez.
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