"Typically, most of the substrate is already gone before it is bagged. In the case of Cardoncelli mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii), there is a very strong demand for both pellets and fresh mushrooms. We see an increase of 7-10% every year, so much so that we are not able to fully satisfy customer demand. Our sales channels are various: we supply growers, agricultural retailers, wholesale markets, hobbyists, but also some supermarkets. This year we also started exporting to Portugal and Spain. We are really happy with the commercial development."
Speaking from the Basilicata region is Filippo Lupo of AgriFunghi, an Italian company that produces and sells substrate and fresh mushrooms almost all year round.
The demand for mushroom pellets is particularly high in the autumn and at the beginning of the winter months. In fact, thousands of pellets have been planted since mid-November. "In about 10 days' time we will have a new batch available," Lupo continues. "The incubation process has been completed, but we prefer to let the substrate rest in dedicated rooms so that the mycelium can grow stronger and we can achieve better production results when the bag is opened. Compared to last year, we have increased the number of production steps by 20 percent this season."
The company Agri Funghi produces and sells fresh products almost all year round, and has relocated its mushroom farms to the mountains, at an altitude of about 900 metres above sea level. "The organoleptic characteristics, the taste and the consumption trends have turned this type of mushroom into a popular one. The frequency of purchases is very high. At the moment we have a total of 7,000 square metres under cultivation, so we can guarantee production until April and then in summer in areas where the climate is cooler."
For more information:
Agri Funghi
Montalbano Jonico (Basilicata) - Italy
Tel.: +39 346 6940121
[email protected]
www.agrifunghi.it