Italy: Stable mushroom prices favour consumption

"This year, production and demand is good," explains Paolo Rinaldi, co-owner of Modena Funghi snc. The company works with mushrooms throughout the year and 80% of the produce is sold to retailers.

The price issue is a little more complex, as they depend on the variety: producer prices of white button mushrooms "hover around €1.60-1.80/kg and reach €2-2.10/kg in wholesale markets." Brown button mushrooms have a slightly different market and are usually 20 cents more expensive on average.

"Poplar mushrooms are doing rather well, with producer prices between €7 and €9 per kg depending on grades, quality, packaging and demand."

"There are not many oyster mushrooms available as temperatures are rather warm and prices are therefore increasing: producer prices hover around €2-2.20/kg, to which 20-30 cents are added in the markets."

Porcino mushrooms, slightly different from the others as they are spontaneous, "sold well. This year there was quite a lot of domestic produce, which is rather unusual." In fact, most of the porcino mushrooms sold in wholesale markets are usually imported from Romania, France, Spain, Bulgaria and Macedonia.
Prices can vary between €10 and 15-16 per kg.

The company also deals with fresh-cut mixed mushrooms. In this case, "prices are rather stable and usually tend to remain that way throughout the year."

"In general, the price of mushrooms fluctuates less than that of other vegetables, for example tomatoes, so consumers find them more appealing. Mushrooms used to be more of a niche product but demand is increasing."

Contacts:
Modena Funghi snc
Via Leonardo da Vinci, 362 - Cavezzo (MO)
Tel.: (+39) 0535 46333
Fax: (+39) 0535 44175
Email: info@modenafunghi.it
Web: www.modenafunghi.it