A four and a half hour flight from Amsterdam takes you to the Mediterranean country of Israel, not the first place you would associate with mushroom growing. However the past decade has seen the production and consumption of mushrooms more than tripled. The time is ripe to have a look at how our fellow mushroom growers and composters work in Israel.

Israel has 6.8 million inhabitants, of whom the majority emigrated to Israel in the past 50 years. These immigrants came from all over the globe, and brought their own cultural identity and eating habits with them. Like wise the Russian Jews, who settled permanently in Israel in large numbers (particularly) after the turbulent years of the 1990s. These people were accustomed to hunting for and eating wild mushrooms in Russia.

This is at once one of the major factors behind the enormous rise in the demand for mushrooms in Israel.  At the moment 1.1 kilograms of mushrooms are consumed annually per head of the population. And demand is still rising. You can safely say that mushrooms have been discovered and accepted in the Israeli kitchen.

Mushroom growing

Thirty years ago the first mushroom farms in Israel were built in the north. Over the past 15 years mushroom growing has taken a huge upward turn. The government also stimulates this by granting investment subsidies.

Total mushroom production is 7.2 million kilograms per year produced by 16 mushroom growers. The majority (68 %) of production takes place on eight companies in the north of the country. In the south a single grower is responsible for 6 % of the total production. In Central Israel seven mushroom growers are active, with 26 % of the market share. More than half the total yield is produced on phase 3 compost, the rest on phase 1. Currently two sites in Israel make phase 1 compost. The first tunnel company was started in Israel in 2000. This is in fact still the only functioning tunnel company, and produces all the phase 3 compost.

Trading house Marina

More than half the mushrooms sold in Israel are traded via Marina- an activity the company started in 1990. This was initially a small-scale operation, but 15 years later Marina sells 220 tons of mushrooms each month.

Marina has its own tunnel company where 300 tons of phase 3 compost can be produced each week. The phase 1 compost is bought from nearby composters Compit. The phase 3 compost is used on their own growing facilities or sold to other customers. During filling the compost is immediately covered by Dutch casing soil. All the farms have shelving of identical bed widths; so one type of filling machine can service all the growing rooms.

During filling, work progresses 24 hours a day so the tunnels can be emptied as quickly as possible. This is an absolute must, especially in the summer, when temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius.

As well as mushrooms, Marina also produces and sells mung bean sprouts, at the moment about 3000 kilos a day. Marina is the market leader here too.

Import and export

The relationship with neighbouring Arab countries makes import or export to them out of the question. Israel doesn't in fact export mushrooms to any other countries. If circumstances lead to a shortfall in mushrooms, they are imported from the Netherlands. This is normally unnecessary, as supply and demand is well regulated. Israeli growers also see the Netherlands as a reliable trading partner when it comes to importing casing soil and building growing facilities.

Research

Israel has one research centre that supports agriculture and horticulture. 23 years ago, a separate department was set up for the production of edible fungi. The team currently comprises six members, headed by Dr. Ofer Danai. This centre provides training and advice, and laboratory research for mushroom growers and composters. Intensive studies are also conducted into composts for mushrooms and oyster mushrooms. There is much exchange and cooperation with other centres worldwide.

On-going research focuses on such subjects as;

·           Chemical, physical and biological parameters in substrates for mushroom production, including the use of these parameters in optimising compost production  (phase I,II,III).

·           Development of a peat substitute, based on the use of organic wastes, as the main ingredient in casing soils for mushroom production.

·           Development of production methods for exotic mushrooms, including industrial production of Pleurotus spp on cotton and wheat straws.

·           Recycling spent mushroom substrates (SMS) for re-use in mushroom production, horticulture and agriculture.

·           Biological control of Phorid flies in mushroom cultivation using Nematodes.

·           Truffle cultivation (Tuber melanosporum) in special orchards planted in the Northern Galilee.

For more information about this research visit www.migal.org.il

All the information received is estimated, as there are no definitive figures available in this country.

We would like to thank Dr.Ofer Danai of the Israeli mushroom research centre and Tommy Greunwald from mushroom growers and traders Marina for the information they gave us.