Mushrooms continue to gain shelf space in Spanish supermarkets despite a price increase caused by the scarcity of an essential raw material for their cultivation: straw. This has posed a significant challenge this season. European regulations are increasingly preventing the use of effective active substances for disease control, thereby making mushroom and fungi production harder.
"The drought in Spain has led to a significant shortage of wheat straw, one of the main ingredients of the substrate used for mushroom cultivation," says Aitor Sanzol, Deputy General Director of Ayecue, the second most important fresh mushroom producing company in Spain, with annual volumes reaching almost 14 million kilos.
"The scarcity of straw has been such that its prices have tripled, forcing compost producers to import it from other countries, mainly from France, which had large volumes available. This has allowed us to salvage the production," he says.
"Over the last year, this situation has contributed to further increases in the price of mushrooms, which have been on the rise due to the European Commission's ban on the use of some active substances which were the only highly effective means to combat certain diseases. Thus, yields are falling and costs are increasingly higher, and this is a big cause for concern amongst producers in the medium and long term, both for those with modern crops and, especially, for the more traditional ones who supply the canning factories," says Aitor Sanzol.
Despite this, the Deputy General Director of Ayecue says that the product remains relatively affordable. "In fact, consumption is still on the rise and it continues gaining shelf space in Spain, where there is still much room for growth, if we compare its consumption levels with those of other European countries, such as Portugal, the Netherlands or Germany. A European promotion to stimulate mushroom consumption is underway, and we hope this will help spread information about the product and its beneficial health properties."
Spain is a self-sufficient country where the supply and demand are well balanced. Within the fungi segment, mushrooms account, by far, for the most consumption. "The cultivation of more exotic fungi has slowed down due to the economic downturn and changing consumer preferences, which also seem to be moving away from organic products," says Aitor Sanzol.
This year, Ayecue's THE REAL CHAMPION mushroom has won the Flavor of the Year award. "It is the first time that this award has been given to a mushroom," says Aitor. "We are making a great effort to add value to the product by developing a brand that consumers will recognize."
For more information:
Aitor Sanzol
Ayecue-THE REAL GREEN FOOD
M: +34 652804147
a.sanzol@therealgreenfood.com
www.therealgreenfood.com/