The agricultural sector, including the mushroom sector, is being hit hard by the continuing rise in production costs across Europe, including in Poland. It is true that the situation has improved after the COVID pandemic, but rising production costs and marketing difficulties have led many mushroom producers to consider postponing investments or closing their farms. High production costs make it difficult for farms at all levels, regardless of their size and the type of mushrooms produced.
During the COVID pandemic, especially at the beginning, there was a lot of uncertainty. All the more so because some countries to which Polish producers had traditionally supplied large quantities of mushrooms, such as Germany, France or Italy, had introduced a closure. Schools, restaurants and hotels were closed and the HoReCa market suffered, which also caused problems for mushroom producers. The restrictions imposed, particularly in Britain, made the mushroom trade very difficult. However, Polish mushroom growers have survived this difficult period and, what is more, have managed to maintain the market.
Not easier after Covid
Unfortunately, the price increase has now reached all levels of production. In addition to a brutal rise in energy costs, packaging materials have become more expensive, logistics costs are higher and inflation has led to a significant increase in the cost price of manual picking. Mushroom growers in the Grodzisk region are also expecting an increase in the price of straw and therefore compost, which has recently risen by around 7% and is already set to rise by another 10%.
The current export price for a kilo of mushrooms is around 6 zloty (€1.25). According to mushroom growers, this selling price should be higher to cover production costs and also to make a profit.
It is difficult to say today whether Poland will remain the largest producer of mushrooms in Europe. One thing is for sure, Polish mushroom producers are highly valued worldwide for the quality of the products they supply, which is partly due to their experience in growing mushrooms. Many mushroom producers are concerned about the future of production. Interestingly, it is not the smallest growers who are thinking of closing their businesses, as they often do not take into account the costs associated with their own and their family members’ work. The concern is for larger producers who are forced to bear the costs of employing mushroom pickers.
Source: WIR
