Chamber of Agriculture: the domestic mushroom sector successfully recovered from the difficulties caused by the coronavirus epidemic

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They wrote that while in 2020 the annual consumption of mushrooms in Hungary was one kilogram per person, during and after the epidemic this amount increased to 1.5-1.6 kilograms. However, this is still below the European average of 3 kilograms and the British average of 4 kilograms.

The mushroom harvest in Hungary averages around 22,000-23,000 tons per year

According to the announcement, 90 percent of production is champignons, 7-8 percent are oyster mushrooms, and 2-3 percent are more special varieties. The largest growing area is concentrated in the central Hungarian region, including Budapest and the capital’s surroundings. 45 percent of the chanterelles grown in the country are grown in this region. Kecskemét and its surroundings, the Danube-Tisza junction, Budapest and its surroundings, as well as Győr-Moson-Sopron and Veszprém counties are among the key mushroom growing areas.

About 60 percent of the chanterelles produced in the country are exported

Almost 75 percent of the export is delivered as fresh mushrooms to foreign markets: Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, the remaining 25 percent goes to Italy and Austria in canned form. Fresh mushrooms are mainly sold on the domestic market, as well as on the German and Romanian markets. Mushrooms can be cultivated intensively, up to 250-300 kilograms of mushrooms can be produced on one square meter of surface. However, in order to achieve such a quantity, serious investments are needed, among other things, the appropriate climatic conditions must be ensured. According to the press release of the chamber and the interprofessional organization, mushrooms are a real superfood because they are rich in protein, while having a low energy content, high water and dietary fiber content, and an exceptionally high vitamin D content. Freshness is the primary consideration when buying, fresh mushrooms have a pleasant smell, can be crunched, and the edge of the hat is intact. The mushroom loses its quality very quickly at room temperature, so it must be processed as soon as possible after purchase or put in the refrigerator, so it can be kept for 2-3 days – reads the overview of NAK and FruitVeB.

MTI