A large number of small mushroom producers from the Central and Western regions of Ukraine plan to close their enterprises and are already stopping the production of champignon. This is evidenced by data obtained by the information and analytical agency “UMDIS” during the monitoring of the industry, conducted since the beginning of 2013. This applies primarily to private producers, most of which produce mushrooms in the areas of their household plots. According to the producers, the main reason for this decision was the situation with the low price of mushrooms, which was observed in Ukraine during the second half of 2012, which not only prevented the producers from earning, but also often led to losses.
“The market was saturated with products. At the same time, incomes fell and people began to buy less mushroom. In this regard, in the next two years, it seems to me that there is nothing to do in mushroom production. If there was any state program to support mushroom production, then small producers still you could survive, ”says Vasily Boretsky, a small producer from the Kiev region.
Among other reasons, mushroom growers are also called such as the high price of compost, the low quality of the integumentary soil, and the difficulty in selling products. Among those who do not plan to continue the production of champignon, many of those who began to do this in 2011 – 2012 – the market situation did not allow them to get on their feet
“The market was saturated with products. At the same time, incomes fell and people began to buy less mushroom. In this regard, in the next two years, it seems to me that there is nothing to do in mushroom production. If there was any state program to support mushroom production, then small producers still you could survive, ”says Vasily Boretsky, a small producer from the Kiev region.
Among other reasons, mushroom growers are also called such as the high price of compost, the low quality of the integumentary soil, and the difficulty in selling products. Among those who do not plan to continue the production of champignon, many of those who began to do this in 2011 – 2012 – the market situation did not allow them to get on their feet
Of course, the withdrawal from the market of small producers pleases large market players who blame them for lowering prices in some periods. However, according to large market participants, it could be more likely not to close, but to suspend the activities of small farms. “As soon as market prices rise, producers who have several growing chambers will again want to produce mushrooms, and are unlikely to be able to stop them,” said a representative of a large champignon-growing farm, the Umdis news agency. 
