Mushroom companies are reporting a significant pickup in mushroom sales to the UK in volume terms.

However, prices are unchanged because most of what is supplied is on contracted prices.

Many Irish mushroom companies exporting to the UK suffered following the sharp fall in sterling after the Brexit vote. Almost 85% of Irish mushroom production is destined for the UK market.

According to Kantar, the market research company, sales of mushrooms in the UK in January were up 4% in volume and 2% in value compared with January last year, outperforming the vegetable category as a whole, which grew by 1% in volume but declined by 1% in value.

Healthy eating

Sales of mushrooms generally pick up in January, with healthy eating on the agenda after the festive season. This year, sales were helped in part by a shortage of vegetable crops such as spinach, lettuce, and courgettes.

Spain, which normally supplies the UK at this time of year with these crops, experienced flooding in the growing areas and this was followed by unseasonably cold weather. This has been compounded by poor growing conditions in Italy, Greece and Turkey.

According to Bord Bia’s Mike Neary, retail sales of mushrooms in the UK are worth £359m on an annual basis, with a volume of 137,000t. The entire UK mushroom market, including food service, is estimated to be 191,000t.

Ireland produces 70,000t of mushrooms per annum, with a farmgate value of €137m, with 85% of the crop exported to the UK.

There are currently 51 growers on over 60 production sites in Ireland and the industry employs 2,000 people directly.

The marketing of the majority of mushrooms is carried out through a number of marketing companies, with Monaghan Mushrooms and Walsh Mushrooms marketing significant volumes.