A new Hungarian development utilizes mushroom production waste

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The consortium’s project, which began in 2022 and has a total cost of more than 812 million forints, received a non-refundable grant of 452 million forints in the call for applications for the Széchenyi Plan Plusz program. The participants researched how to make mushroom compost and other mushroom production waste usable with insect larvae. This biomass is rich in nutrients, but due to its large volume, it cannot be transported economically over long distances, and only a few insect larvae can utilize it effectively – they justified the development. According to the announcement, mushroom production waste can be used in larval rearing, which can produce not only valuable insect protein, but also insect pellets that can replace poultry manure. The research found that the recycled material can be used as a soil improver and mulch, and determined the dose in which it can replace fertilizer in the cultivation of horticultural plants and how much of it should be used in mushroom cultivation as an average yield increaser. By reducing the use of fertilizer, the research contributes to reducing production costs and makes the supply of one of the important raw materials for mushroom cultivation independent of fluctuations caused by poultry epidemics, they added. According to its company website, Bio-Fungi sells soil improving compost and high humus-containing planting medium in quantities of several hundred tons per month in addition to mushroom products. The company produces 120-130 tons of mushrooms per week, and according to its report, almost two-thirds of its revenue came from foreign sales over the past 2 years. The company closed 2023 with revenue of almost 13.3 billion forints and a loss of 142.6 million forints, and in 2024 with revenue of more than 13 billion forints and a loss of 1.95 billion forints.

MTI