Sectorial Update: Growth In The Mushroom Industry

According to various sources, the mushroom industry is growing rapidly due to the increasing demand for plant-based food, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic: mushrooms (edible fungi, such as button, shiitake, oyster, and others) are rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and have many health benefits, which makes them a practical meat substitute for many vegans and vegetarians.

As a result of this and other factors, different reports talk about a global mushroom market size of14.35 million tonnes in 2020, projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.74% from 2021 to 2028.

Finally, the mushroom industry continues to contribute to the circular economy by using waste from livestock and agriculture to make the growing substrate and by valorising the spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as organic fertiliser or biofuel.