Mushroom production in Russia: equipment, profitability, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Mushrooms are a very popular product on the domestic market. They are consumed separately in fried, stewed or pickled form, and are also used to prepare various dishes. At the same time, the demand for them is constantly increasing, since meat becomes more expensive every year. Due to this, people are forced to look for alternative foods that are highly nutritious.

According to statistics, the level of demand significantly exceeds supply, so the production of mushrooms in Russia is one of the most attractive areas. Let's take a closer look at all the features of this type of business and find out how to open it from scratch.

What are the best species to grow?

Let's take a closer look at this. The most common in our country is the production of champignon mushrooms. This group of spore organisms has excellent taste and is very easy to breed, so there is no particular hassle with it.arises. The main advantage, which can be considered a disadvantage, is the high demand for champignons. You will not have problems with sales, but it will be very difficult to work in a highly competitive environment. In addition, to start growing, you will need to purchase a special substrate and mycelium, which are sold only by specialized companies.

The second most popular is oyster mushroom or, as it is popularly called, oyster mushroom. It has excellent taste, high nutritional value and many useful properties. In addition, unlike champignons, it can be grown on ordinary sawdust or straw, which greatly simplifies the entire technological process and reduces associated costs. However, people can become allergic to spores when handling them, so basic hygiene practices are important.

The production of shiitake mushrooms is also very promising. They were brought to our country from Asian countries relatively recently, but today the demand for them is very high. This is due to the growing popularity of Chinese and Japanese cuisine in Russia. In addition to the unique taste, the mushroom is valued for its healing properties. The cost of the species is higher than that of champignons and oyster mushrooms, however, cultivation requires large financial and physical costs. The thing is that shiitake does not grow in the open air, so the production will require a special room, protected from the penetration of sunlight. In addition, it is impossible to find mycelium in our country. You will need to import it yourself, buying from foreignsuppliers. But if you are ready to take on all the difficulties, then they will certainly pay off, since in Russia a small number of companies are engaged in the sale of these mushrooms.

Truffle is worth highlighting among the valuable and exotic varieties. This is perhaps the most expensive species in the world, as it grows exclusively in forest soil at a depth of about 30 centimeters. Therefore, if you decide to produce them, then, first of all, you will need to rent a large plot of land, and then order mycelium, the cost of which is very high. At the same time, it must be taken into account that the first harvest can be harvested no earlier than after 6 years. But the production of growing mushrooms will fully pay for itself. The cost of one kilogram of truffles starts from $500 (33,800 rubles), and one plantation brings an average of 15 kg.

And, of course, you should definitely mention ceps. They are traditional for Russian cuisine and are considered one of the most beloved. Their advantage lies in the fact that cultivation can be carried out both in the countryside and in the city, or even on the balcony of an apartment. In addition, porcini mushrooms are less whimsical than previously described, so you do not need a large investment.

General Growing Information

If you are planning to start a mushroom production business, then you need to clearly follow a certain sequence when implementing your idea.

The general algorithm is as follows:

1. Search androom rental.
2. Creating the right microclimate.
3. Purchase of mycelium.
4. Making or purchasing a substrate.

Besides this, you will need to develop the rules of sanitary control, since working with mushrooms is very dangerous. If basic standards are not followed, there is a high probability of bacterial infection.

According to experienced entrepreneurs, the easiest and most cost-effective is the production of oyster mushrooms. You can start a business with minimal investment, which will quickly pay for itself, since the market keeps a stable demand for this type of spore plants, regardless of seasonal factors. Therefore, further we will focus on the cultivation of oyster mushrooms.

Growing methods

The production technology of oyster mushrooms is very simple. It can be done in just two ways:

• extensive;
• intense.

The second method is as close as possible to natural conditions. Mushrooms are cultivated on tree trunks. However, this technology has certain disadvantages. The main ones are:

1. Long incubation period.
2. Year by year, yields are falling.
3. Difficult to maintain optimal growing conditions.

Extensive technology is aimed at creating environmentally friendly products. The production of mushrooms on it allows you to achieve excellent yields, which retains performance from year to year. This is achieved through controlled climate conditions.

Firstdeed prepare a suitable substrate. To do this, take chopped hay or sawdust, steam it, after which mineral fertilizers and mycelium are added to them. The vegetative body of fungi is taken at the rate of 4 kg per ton of substrate. The resulting mass is packed into bags, in which small holes are made to remove excess moisture.

Packages with contents are placed in a room protected from sunlight, which constantly maintains an air temperature of 24 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 65 percent. Mushrooms will sprout in about a month. Industrial production of oyster mushrooms is no different from domestic production, and the only difference lies in the volume of products grown.

After the formation of the mycelium, the bags are moved to a room with about 85 percent humidity and an ambient temperature of 13 to 16 degrees. Such conditions are considered ideal for the formation of mushroom embryos, from which clusters weighing from 0.4 to 4 kilograms will subsequently grow.

The advantage of this variety of mushrooms is that after harvesting, after only a week and a half, a new one will grow. In this way a continuous production of mushrooms is obtained. The business will flourish and you will be able to gradually scale it up, while increasing the yield. In one season, it is possible to collect mushrooms at least three times. The next year, a new substrate is being prepared, as the old one becomes unusable. According to experienced farmers, one bag on average brings up to four kilograms of oyster mushrooms.

Procedure of actions

Regardless of whether you will produce champignon mushrooms or oyster mushrooms, the algorithm of work is identical. The first step is to write a detailed business plan. It will allow you to realistically assess the necessary financial costs and the potential profit that you can get from your investment.

The project is implemented according to the following scheme:

• business registration;
• rent suitable premises;
• logistics;
• recruitment of employees;
• search for distribution channels;
• calculation of financial indicators.

If you follow this algorithm, you can not only organize a home business, but also open a mushroom factory. The main thing is to decide on the type of activity and the taxation system. To better understand what to do, each of the steps will be discussed in more detail below.

Company registration

If you decide to organize the production of mushrooms, then the first thing you should do is draw up all the necessary documents for this, provided for by law. If you run a business on your own, without involving hired employees, you can register with the tax office as an individual entrepreneur. If you start growing products in large volumes and qualified specialists will work for you, then in this case it is better to open an LLC right away. As for taxation, there is only one option - a single one for agriculturalenterprises. Its size is 6 percent of the annual net profit.

To make the legal process go much faster, prepare the following documents in advance:

1. Radiology protocol.
2. Certificate of conformity.
3. Phytosanitary certificate.

All the certificates listed above are obtained after the first harvest. In order to avoid many problems in the process of registration, adhere to the basic sanitary standards in the process of work. As practice shows, Russian-made mushrooms are in no way inferior in their taste characteristics and environmental safety to Western products, so you should succeed.

Search for premises

Mushroom spores contain a large amount of allergens, so the production building should be located away from residential areas. However, in order to reduce logistics costs, there must be a good access to it, which will ensure the normal delivery of raw materials and the delivery of finished products to customers. Nowadays, a lot of agricultural land is empty, so there should not be any particular problems with finding a suitable premises. And if you live in a rural area, then you can grow mushrooms in a barn.

It is best that the room meets the following criteria:

• minimum area - 15 sq. m.;
• good ventilation;
• air humidity - 80%;
• ambient temperature - from 10 to 20 degrees;
• availabilitycommunications.

In addition, the building should have separate rooms for growing and storing products, as well as for working with the substrate.

Raw materials and equipment

At the first stages of work, there is little point in purchasing expensive imported equipment. You can purchase either used or domestic appliances. For example, Russian-made dryers for mushrooms are not inferior in their technical characteristics to Western counterparts, but at the same time they are much more expensive. Savings are very important, since the production of a large volume of products will require impressive sums for the purchase of raw materials.

In order to work properly, you will need the following mushroom production equipment:

• steam generator - 40 000 r;
• pasteurizer - 10 000 r;
• air humidifier - 8 000 r;
• heaters - 5 000 r;
• ventilation system - RUB 7,000

In addition, you will need hooks or special brackets for hanging bags of mycelium. As for the necessary raw materials, its list includes the following:

• substrate;
• mycelium;
• fertilizers.

The estimated cost of starting a business should not exceed 100,000 rubles. If you do not want to deal with oyster mushrooms, but you prefer other types of spore plants, then the amount of initial investment will be approximately the same. Equipment for the production of champignon mushrooms costs the same.

Employed personnel

When growing mushrooms at home, you can work on your own,however, when planning a large-scale project, outside help is simply indispensable. It is simply impossible to process tons of substrate yourself, so you will have to hire hired labor. How many people will be required depends on the logistics of the farm.

If you cannot purchase all the necessary equipment, then the staff should include the following specialists:

• technologist;
• realizer;
• 3 handymen.

This staff is enough to produce 200 kilograms of mushrooms every month.

Search for distribution channels

You won't have to pay extra for delivery, because most often buyers pick up products on their own. The main difficulty lies in accurately predicting the required crop volume, so as not to let customers down and not to remain in the red. Among potential buyers are shops and supermarkets, catering establishments, processing plants and small points of sale in urban markets. To achieve maximum profitability, the establishment of distribution channels is best done at the stage of searching for premises. If you can build a consistent customer base, you can break even in just a few months. To increase competitiveness, it is desirable to come up with a memorable company name and a recognizable corporate logo.

Initial investment and payback period

According to experiencedentrepreneurs who have been growing mushrooms for a long time, about 500,000 rubles will be enough to start. However, you will need some kind of airbag, since the monthly expenses to maintain the normal functioning of the enterprise vary from 100 to 150 thousand. As for net profit, it depends on the volume of production. On average, per month you will collect from 150 to 190 kilograms of mushrooms, the sale of which will bring you about 150,000 rubles. Thus, the invested funds will fully pay off in 7-10 months.

Reviews from entrepreneurs

According to experienced businessmen, growing mushrooms is a very promising niche in the market, despite high competition. Demand for them is constantly growing, and consequently increases profits. The main factor is a strong rise in the price of meat products. According to economists, this trend will continue in the future, so you can safely start home production or run a small factory for the production of mushrooms. The main thing is to make a good business plan and clearly stick to the intended course, and you will certainly succeed.