It will be more mushroms, more competition and more activity.

Such few words can summarize the discussions at the Russian Mushroom Days 2021. About 160 participants from 9 countries gathered at September 14-15 in Krasnodar EXPOGRAD SOUTH for 26^th Russian Mushroom Days.

General Sponsor- Sylvan

Platinum Sponsor – Master Champ

Gold Sponsor – Agro-Project

Silver Sponsor – Christiaens Group

Mr. Aleksandr Khrenov, General Director of Russian Mushroom School, Mr. Peter Zavgorodniy, the biggest exotic mushrooms producer in the south of Russia and Mr.Andrey Zhuravel, Head of Plant and Mushroom Department at Kranodar Area Ministry of Agricultural have opened the Russian Mushroom Days 2021. They mentioned that Russian Mushroom Industry grew very fast last 3 year and now Russia is the third mushroom producer in Europe, after Poland and Netherlands. In 2021 about 120.000 tons of mushrooms will be grown in Russia. There are big modern mushroom farms built in the country. Russia has a wide diversity of raw materials for mushroom industry which could be used for different types of mushroom growing. Today the level of cultivated mushrooms consumption is only 870 gr per head in Russian. There is still a big opportunity for local market developing. Cost of mushroom production led to expand the mushroom product export. Krasnodar area is a leader among Russian regions in mushroom production. 25% of Agaricus,10% of Pleurotus and 60% of exotic mushrooms are grown here.

EXPO  Equipment and materials for mushroom growing and processing
21 companies were introduced from Russia, Poland, Netherland, Italy, Spain, France and China. First time we have more Russian than foreign companies at the Mushroom EXPO. Compost, spawn, peat, casing soil, packaging, shelves and picking trolley, equipment for Pleurotus and Exotic mushrooms production are produced in Russia now and supplied to Russian and foreign growers.

International Conference about Mushroom Business development in Russia
This was organized in an off-line and on-line format. Because of COVID limitations 4 out of 23 speakers were not able to come to Russia and did their presentations on-line. Main Conference topic was an actual situation and prospects of the Russian local mushroom market.
Three times production expansion led to a price drop of more than 20%. At the same time raw materials, packing materials and labour cost seriously increased. How to keep a profit level of mushroom business and continuy developing? Speakers offered a few options: demand stimulating through mushroom promotions, expand the the product range, standardization of mushroom grades, processing and addition value product creating. 

Innovations from Russian Researchers
Scientists from Moscow State University, Kuban State Agro University and Government Scientist and Research Center of Virology and Biotech “Vector” offered ideas to growers about spend compost processing, spawn production and medicinal mushrooms products.

Agaricus Mushrooms Growing and Pleurotus and Exotic Mushrooms Growing
Main Russian and foreign experts discussed important questions determining production stability, high yield and quality. Conference was held on-line with a conference application.

Agaricus Section Sponsor - GTL Europe
Pleurotus and Exotic Mushrooms Section Sponsor - Теchnik

It was the fisrt time at Russian Mushroom Days that the “MushroomBBQ-Show” was arranged. Three great Chefs from Krasnodar restaurants Ludmila Dikovskaya, Pavel Proskurin и and Vladimir Shabalin showed a master-class about mushroom cooking on a grill Weber. Carpaccio from Agaricus mushrooms, Enoki in the bacon, Burger with Portabelo, Sote from Beach mushrooms and Eringy were easy to cook and fantastically tasty. After the Chefs Show, mushroom growers’ teams started to fight for Prize -Professional Weber grill.
Voronezh Mushrooms, South Mushroom Company, Tula Mushroom Company, Теchnik and “Mushroom School Friends” tried to surprise  the Chefs with mushroom dishes cooked on the grill. All 3 Chefs decide that the best dishes were thePleurotus sausages from “Technik” team. Weber grill was provided by Original – grill Shop. Agaricus Mushrooms and Portobelo were provided by Russian Mushrooms farms. Pleurotus Mushrooms were provided by the Rozmirskiy Farm. Shiitake, Eringy, Beach Mushrooms and Enoki were provided by Eat Mushrooms company.

Russian Mushroom Days confirmed a serious plan of Russian mushroom companies to solve the todays' low-price period and continue to expand business. It will mean that more mushrooms will be produced in Russia, competition will be strong and more powerful with creativity in order to grow their part in the msuhroom industry.