The world has seen a steady increase in the consumption of cultivated mushrooms. Average per capita consumption in the USA and European countries is from 2 to 4.5 kg per person. In Russia, the figure does not exceed 1.5 kg. Before the introduction of sanctions in 2014, 80% of mushroom sales on the Russian market were covered by imports from Poland and other neighboring countries. According to a report by the UN Food Commission, global mushroom production is expected to grow by 2% annually. These data suggest the idea of ​​opening your own mushroom production. Read about all the features of growing champignons and building a mushroom business in our article.

Champignons as a business

If girls' best friends are diamonds, then businessmen's best friends are champignons. In Russia they love mushrooms, but the “silent hunting” season is short. An always busy city dweller sometimes does not have the opportunity to get out for a gathering. There is always a demand for fresh mushrooms; there is always a lack of supply on the market.

Champignons are in great demand and are good in any form

The idea of ​​growing champignons for sale is not new and has been implemented in many successful projects. The market situation continues to be attractive for launching another enterprise. However, when the goal is to make a profit, the future mushroom producer should take into account many factors and risks so that the business is worth the investment and effort.

The advantages of growing champignons are obvious:

• These mushrooms are cultivated in any available premises, without requiring complex care.
• They are all-season and produce 3-4 waves of harvest.
• Collection dates are predicted to the day, allowing you to plan sales and logistics.
• Recycling residues does not require significant effort or complex organization.
• The spent substrate after disinfection can be sold as fertilizer.
• Russia has established a supply system for substrates, mycelium and equipment for collecting, packaging and processing mushrooms.
• Commercial banks provide preferential loans to those who have the conditions for growing mushrooms and a developed business plan.

A business designed to make a profit is not without risks. When growing mushrooms, it is important to consider the following:

• Champignons remain fresh for 6–8 days, after which they quickly lose their presentation.
• The effective demand of the population is subject to significant fluctuations.
• From July to November there will be increased competition with wild mushrooms.
• Permits are required for sale.

The benefits far outweigh the risks. A well-thought-out business strategy and taking into account the experience of fellow entrepreneurs will help you get by with minimal losses. A business enterprise registered as legal entity, can start growing champignons without changing registration. Unless in some cases it will be necessary to make additions to constituent documents. U individual freedom of choice. The state does not require registration of an individual entrepreneur to conduct business, but at the end of the year you will have to submit tax return. As practice shows, upon reaching a certain level of profitability, registering an individual entrepreneur allows you to optimize taxes.

Harvest dates can be predicted down to the day

To legally sell the crop, you must obtain a quality certificate.

A quality certificate is issued for products grown using compost alone.

Product samples are submitted for analysis to the phytosanitary service, where the product is checked for compliance with standards for sale. The application must indicate the period during which the compost will be used. When replacing compost, a new certificate must be obtained. Violation will result in administrative penalties.

Demand analysis

Until 2014, importers dominated the Russian market. Mostly Polish. Mutual sanctions have led to the market experiencing a chronic shortage of mushrooms in winter season and on holidays. If champignons grown in Poland were sold in Russia at a profit, despite the costs associated with delivery and customs duties, then local production, by definition, cannot be unprofitable.

When champignons reach the market or retail chain, they immediately turn into a hot commodity that does not sit on the shelves. This is due to the fact that, according to data given in the magazine “School of Mushroom Growing”, demand exceeds sales volume by more than two times.

Table: demand for champignons in recent years

Years	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Sales volume	65	68	72	75	76
Volume of demand	146	149	152	155	158

As the table shows, over the course of five years there has been a steady increase in sales and demand. Due to the huge gap between supply and demand, the situation is not likely to change in the coming years. The market will still remain unsaturated.

The level of competition is low. Catering and retail completely absorb commodity supplies. Unsold products go for canning and recycling, after which they find their buyer. Depleted compost that has stopped bearing fruit becomes fertilizer. Gardeners and gardeners readily buy it.

Growing technology

Champignons have been cultivated for several centuries. There are dozens of species in nature, many of which can be grown.

Garden champignon (bisporous) is not artificially bred. It is the result of natural mutation and selection.

Fungi occupy an intermediate position between animals and plants. Science has not yet fully explored these creatures. Who knows, maybe it’s not by chance that the garden champignon acquired such an attractive appearance. White and firm, firm, just begging to be picked up by a chef.

Video: features of growing mushrooms

A person eats the fruiting bodies of mushrooms, and the mushroom itself in the form of mycelium (mycelium) hides inside the compost. While the mycelium is alive, fruiting occurs, the cultivation technology is based on this, for which you need:

1. Room. Not only a building is suitable, but also a mine, adit, cave. On outdoors can be cultivated, but not in commercial quantities. Champignons do not like bright colors sunlight. It is good to grow in the basement on shelves. Due to the racks, the planting area is increased by 2–3 times.
2. Microclimate. During mycelium growth, the temperature is about +20°C, soil humidity is 65–75%. When fruiting begins, reduce the temperature to +16°C, soil humidity 55–60%.
3. Compost (substrate). Buy ready-made or make your own. In the second case, you need at least 100 kg of straw, 75–100 kg of manure (preferably horse) or bird droppings and 2.5–3 kg mineral fertilizers(urea). The mixture is placed in a pile where there will be no contact with the ground and watered generously. The composting process goes quickly, the straw melts and heats up. After 6-7 days, re-stirring (mixing the layers) is done, then the procedure is repeated every 3-4 days. At the end, gypsum (chalk, slaked lime) is added: 3–6 kg per hundredweight of substrate. On days 22–23, the compost is ready for infection with mycelium.
4. Mycelium (mycelium). Available in grain and compost. Grain has higher yields, but is more demanding on agricultural technology. Needs protection from rodents and birds. Compost is recommended for beginning mushroom growers, as it is easier to handle delivery and storage and is not afraid of rodents.

The substrate is not only laid on shelving. Champignons are grown in bags or boxes, which makes care and cleaning easier.

As the enterprise develops, it is possible to master the production of mycelium; in this case, the mushroom farm expands its range and offers to the market, in addition to champignons, substrate, mycelium and organic fertilizers. Waste-free production.

Video: champignon production

Champignons, like many agaric mushrooms, are easy to process. They can be salted, pickled, dried, canned, or stored frozen. Which provides additional opportunities for harvest sales.

Cost calculation and profitability

If there is no production space, you will have to rent premises. Today's situation is favorable for renters. Supply far exceeds demand, and rents are lower than ever. Other start-up costs are minimal.

Initial investment (table)

You can get a preferential loan or subsidy for the development of mushroom farming. Once a business is operational, it will primarily bear operating expenses. They are presented in the table below.

Monthly expenses (table)

Maximum values ​​are given. There can be significant savings at each position. There are dozens of suppliers of substrates and mycelium; when concluding long-term supply contracts, you can get benefits on deferred and installment payments.

Every meter bears fruit

Per 100 sq.m usable area When installing racks, you can sow 250 square meters of compost. The first harvest will be in 3 weeks. It will be modest, but it will be followed by a second and third wave of maturation that will bring the real harvest. Subsequent damped waves are not excluded, but, as a rule, they are not cost-effective. If you sow the compost not all at once, but in parts with a time shift, then a cycle of continuous collection and sowing will arise. This allows you to plan sales and conclude contracts with consumers for specific delivery dates.

15–25 kg of champignons are harvested from 1 square meter. To calculate profitability, we take the minimum value.

15 x 250 = 3,750 kg

It will not be possible to sell all the goods; losses and additional costs for transportation and storage are inevitable. The retail price for champignons is 200 rubles/kg, which includes many components, including labor costs, taxes and trade margins. The mushroom seller will receive approximately 50 rubles, from which we will deduct 20 for our own expenses.

3,750 x 30 = 112,500 rub.

Calculation based on minimum income and maximum expenses shows a monthly profit of 50,000–60,000 rubles.

The practice of mushroom farming shows that initial costs are repaid within 3–6 months, after which the enterprise operates steadily with a profitability of at least 20% with good prospects for production development.

Sales of goods

All the efforts of the mushroom grower will be in vain if he cannot sell his products. Therefore, you should consider all sales options in advance:

• independently on the market;
• through market small wholesale traders;
• through chain stores;
• direct deliveries to catering enterprises;
• hand over to wholesalers-procurers.

Each method has its own price, advantages, disadvantages and opportunities, which allows the entrepreneur to make a choice and adapt to market demands, taking into account seasonal factors. The periods of waiting for the next wave of harvest should be devoted to searching for clients to conclude long-term supply agreements. However, there is always a risk of overstocking and some of the products not being sold. Such a risk can be insured with an insurance company, but it is even better to organize recycling.

Champignon does not have a pronounced aroma, like wild mushrooms. But if it is cut into slices and dried, a strong mushroom smell appears. Chefs use this technique to improve the quality of champignon dishes.

Drying champignons is acceptable, although time-consuming. Besides, dried mushrooms require storage conditions. Salting, pickling and canning will not cost a lot of labor and the possible hiring of temporary workers. An excellent solution is freezing in a chamber or freezer. Frozen mushrooms are stored for at least 1 year and are accepted for sale. But it will be necessary to deliver the goods frozen to the consumer, which will require a car with a refrigerator.

Freezing is a universal way to store mushrooms

If you want to grow champignons at home, you need to first ask yourself the questions: what is it for and what do you have for it? After all, in order to provide a delicious lunch for a family, a few boxes in the basement or beds in the garden will be enough.

But if you decide to organize large-scale production, you will need not only large, specially equipped premises, but also equipment, machinery, significant material and labor costs, as well as knowledge. Each method of growing champignons has its own nuances, which will be discussed further.

In the beds, in the vegetable garden or in the garden

Growing champignons in an open area is not the easiest process, since these mushrooms do not like bright light. Therefore, if you want to start mushroom growing in your summer cottage, look for a place in the shade - in the garden under trees, bushes, in a raspberry field or behind the house. You need to build a canopy over the garden bed to protect the soil from drying out.

Before starting work on the site, you must first prepare compost for growing champignons. The simplest recipe is 12 kg of straw, 8 kg of manure or litter. The components are laid in layers in a pile, then the mixture should be watered daily, avoiding drying out. During the preparation period (22-25 days), the compost needs to be mixed several times.

The soil in the selected bed needs to be fluffed up, mycelium sown on its surface, covered with a layer of compost 5-7 cm high and watered. In the future, you need to moisten the area as needed. You will have to wait 2.5 months before fruiting begins. Champignon yield –12 kg of mushrooms per month from a plot of 1 square meter. m. In one place, the mycelium can grow for about five years.

Important! To avoid infection through direct contact with the soil, the compost in the garden bed can be laid on roofing material or plastic film.

It is quite interesting to grow champignons in the same bed with vegetables. To do this, you need to prepare a bed 1.5 m wide, add manure (cow or horse) to the soil and plant zucchini or squash seedlings. The beds are covered with stretched film. Mushroom mycelium is planted when the seedlings take root. Vegetables and mushrooms will develop simultaneously.

If you don't know where to get mushroom mycelium, or want to try to get it yourself, you can try the following method, for which you will need mushrooms collected in the natural environment. They need to be removed in such a way that traces of earth and mycelium remain on the legs.

On the site you need to dig a trench 20-30 cm deep, fill it with a mixture of manure and straw and pour 5-6 cm of forest or garden soil on top. Chop the collected mushrooms with a knife, spread them on the prepared surface and cover them with a layer of soil. The first mushrooms will appear in a month.
In addition to growing champignons in open areas, using beds in the basement You can also start growing mushrooms. With this technology, the beds are placed on a floor covered with plastic film. The disadvantages of the method are large number manual labor, difficulty in cleaning and a high possibility of spreading diseases and pests. The advantages of the method are minimal economic costs: no need to buy containers and shelving.

Important! Champignons can become part of the decor in a forest-style garden.

On the shelves

The Dutch technology for growing champignons on shelves requires the presence of special expensive equipment that mechanizes process. This method is more suitable for large enterprises. With his help production premises can be used more rationally, saving space.

Racks for champignons are the same ridges, only several floors high. Blocks or boxes are laid out on numerous shelves. The disadvantages of the method are high costs on equipment and the spread of disease horizontally and vertically in the installation.

Did you know? Several trends are noticeable in global mushroom production. The Chinese approach is extensive: through many small enterprises with low investment and cheap labor, the resulting production volume is millions of tons. Moderate investment and some use of manual labor are the basis of the American and Australian approaches. The highest productivity is shown by Dutch enterprises based on large investments and high technologization of processes.

In containers

The container system as a whole is designed not for amateur mushroom growing, but for business. This method is well mastered by large, mostly foreign (America, Canada) enterprises. It requires large capital investments, almost complete mechanization of processes (filling and unloading compost, applying cover soil) and is economically beneficial for large production volumes (thousands of tons of products per year).

Growing mushrooms requires wooden containers specially treated against mold and fungi, in which the champignon substrate is placed. Different phases of fungal growth occur in different rooms, which allows you to optimally organize sanitary measures(washing, disinfection) and storage of containers.

However, this method can also be adapted for home use if you use one or more small containers.

Important! To mechanize the processes of growing champignons, modern machines and mechanisms are used: a lift for filling and unloading compost, a conveyor for unloading spent compost and cover soil, a machine for loosening the soil, a sprayer moving between racks.

In bags

Recently, the method of growing champignons has proven itself well. in bags made of polymer film. It requires less investment than container or shelf systems, and can be used for small and medium-sized businesses or at home. An equipped vegetable storehouse and poultry house are suitable for this purpose. At home, it is more advisable to use bags with a capacity of 25 kg.

Filled and seeded bags are placed at a certain distance for easy care. The bags can also be arranged in tiers.

When using this method, it is easier to eliminate the source of infection or rot; in this case, you can simply close and take out the problematic bag, protecting the entire crop from infection. It is also easy to change bags with spent mycelium. If you build multi-tiered stands for bags, you can use production areas much more efficiently (compared to beds).
The disadvantage of the bag method is that it is difficult to manually fill bags with compost, but today you can find ready-made bags with compost and champignon mycelium on sale.

Did you know? The correct way to harvest champignons is by twisting, not cutting. The empty hole should be sprinkled with soil and watered. Before harvesting, you must wash your hands or use gloves.

In blocks

Many mushroom growers today purchase ready-made blocks for growing champignons from pressed substrate. In large production facilities, manure, seed husks, peat and sawdust are pressed into briquettes.

Growing champignons at home for beginners, as well as for experienced mushroom pickers, is a modern, fashionable, and exciting activity. This is both a kind of hobby and a source additional income, if you approach the matter rationally and competently. Champignons are quite popular, always in demand, tasty and useful product nutrition. They do not linger on store shelves, despite the fact that they do not have the lowest cost. By growing them yourself, you will always be sure of their “pure” origin.

Champignons, photo:

They are healthy: they contain glucose, carbohydrates, vitamins, 18 amino acids, and easily digestible fats. They also go harmoniously with any food; they can be boiled, fried, baked, pickled, canned.

This mushroom is incredibly tasty, low in calories, and is an excellent alternative meat (which undoubtedly attracts the attention of vegetarians).

Knowing how to grow champignons at home, you can provide yourself, as well as your friends and relatives, with a quality product.

Before you start mushroom growing, you should sensibly assess your desires and capabilities. In addition to time and financial investments (purchase of materials), you must have appropriate premises. Some skills, detailed study of information on relevant Internet forums, the presence of a competent adviser will never hurt you. If we compare the process of growing champignons and oyster mushrooms, then our case, of course, is more labor-intensive. But if you compare it with the worries and nuances of growing porcini mushrooms, then it will be much easier and shorter in time.

Where do champignons grow in nature?

If we consider natural conditions, then they are found almost everywhere. Forests, steppes, meadows, edges, lowlands, open spaces with moist soil and even semi-deserts, mountain forests are common places of growth.

As for “home” conditions, they can grow in a garden or vegetable garden, cellar, basement, specially equipped garage, or greenhouse.

How to grow champignons? Many years of experience of mushroom pickers have proven that they grow best where the basement is equipped with good ventilation.

In this case, the air temperature should be relatively cool (not higher than +20 °C), and if this process is put into operation, then the mercury column on the thermometer should vary between +12..+18 °C year-round. The humidity percentage should be approximately 70..85%, lighting does not play a special role.

Growing champignons at home - technology

Necessary factors for a successful process are:

1. The right choice of location.
2. Disinfection of the premises.
3. Organization of microclimate.
4. Proper preparation of the substrate.
5. Laying compost.
6. Selection of mycelium.
7. Planting mycelium.
8. Appropriate care.

As mentioned above, if correctly organized conditions mushrooms can be grown throughout the year. The technology itself is not highly complex, as it might initially seem. From the very beginning, you need to arrange everything correctly, and then the process will follow the well-worn path. This work can even be called creative, something like a hobby. To date, breeders have developed approximately 50 varieties of this mushroom, which have minor differences in appearance. The color of the cap, its structure, and storage duration may vary, but all cultivated varieties are “children” of the ordinary white champignon.

An example of a light brown variety in the photo:

Let's take a look at basement cultivation as a basic example, since this method considered the most common. For the so-called “cellar” breeding, it is best to choose high-yielding varieties, such as Sylvan 130 (Sylvan 130), Hauser A15 (Hauser A15) or Somycel 512 (Somycel 512). They are quite unpretentious, not difficult to care for, and are also very prolific.

Remember - the most important factor for the successful result of your efforts is the presence of well-established ventilation in the room where the mushrooms will grow!

Constant influx fresh air is very important, since during growth they emit carbon dioxide, and its excessive concentration in the room leads to stretching and elongation of the mushroom stalk.

Growing champignons in the basement

How to grow champignons at home - disinfection of the premises:

1. The most common and frequently used is whitewashing the ceiling, walls, and all surfaces with lime with copper sulfate (copper sulfate) added to it. The so-called “recipe”: 2 or 3 kg of slaked lime + 100 g copper sulfate per bucket of water (10 liters). When working with disinfectants, be sure to wear a protective mask on your face!
2. The second method is more dangerous for the human respiratory tract and also requires protection. Take 350 g of bleach, dilute it with 10 liters of water, and apply it by irrigating the walls of the room.
3. Irrigation of walls and other surfaces with 4% formaldehyde using a construction spray is most convenient.
4. You can fumigate a room with a sulfur bomb - it also gives a very effective preventive effect.
5. Chlorophos is a radical, destructive method, but it is too poisonous in its composition. It affects not only mold, but also harmful insects.

After any treatment, the room must be properly ventilated - this is also a prerequisite.

Let's return to ventilation, or rather, let's clarify one nuance: the air should be fresh, but drafts should be excluded. It is better to cover the ventilation pipes (“smotherers”) with fine mesh nets - this will create an obstacle to the penetration of insects, as well as a small barrier to air masses. If you have a large, serious room, and cultivation is on stream, then the ventilation system should be more global, with additional fans located above each large box. If possible, install air purifiers with replaceable filters will not be superfluous for this matter.

It is clear that a thermometer and hygrometer are simply necessary for the room where mushrooms are grown. This way you can always control the level of air humidity: if there is a lack, irrigate with water from a spray bottle, if there is an excess, ventilate. With the onset of summer heat, fans decide this problem, but if the cultivation of this type of mushroom occurs throughout the year, then in addition to all the above-mentioned benefits of civilization, you will also need additional heating basement or cellar.

Large cellar room, photo:

It is best if your cellar, in addition to all the growing requirements, has an earthen floor (not concrete). By and large, the more purposefully the room is adapted specifically for mushroom growing, the better it will be. Any unnecessary additional factors in the basement, cellar, garage or barn that are not related to the topic of growing mushrooms will only interfere and disturb the “microclimate” of the room.

To the “advantages” of mushroom science we can add the fact that they are able to bear fruit perfectly even in complete darkness. This distinguishes them from all other green inhabitants. The weakest light bulb is enough - they will feel comfortable, but the light will most likely be more useful to you in order to comfortably navigate the place.

If growing champignons at home initially has far-reaching plans, the owner has a large room, then dividing it into 2 zones will be reasonable, convenient solution. Simply put, mushrooms must originate somewhere, and a specially prepared substrate is designed for this process (more on that a little later). So, in one zone there will be a substrate along which the mycelium will spread (this is called incubation). In the second compartment the boxes with mushrooms will be placed directly, where they will be forced out.

The temperature regime of these two compartments should also be different: the mycelium usually grows at a temperature of +23..+24 C°, and the growth of fungi occurs at a temperature column of +16..+18 C°. If you get used to it and develop your own “schedule” for moving boxes from one zone to another, you will be able to grow these delicious, beloved mushrooms all year round.

Compost for growing champignons

Preparation of compost (substrate) is one of the most critical aspects of mushroom growing. The quality of the mushrooms will directly depend on the properly prepared substrate. Usually, when you buy champignon mycelium, the packaging with the contents indicates the substrate corresponding to the given variety, as well as the nuances of its preparation. The varieties are different, and the composition of the compost and its collection technology may vary. However, most often these parameters do not differ significantly.

The substrate should be prepared either in a room specially designated for these purposes, or in the open air (on the street), under a well-equipped canopy. It is important that the compost is not exposed to precipitation (rain) or sun rays. It is also highly not recommended to pour compost onto “bare” soil - lay a sheet of thick plastic film. Thus, unwanted insects or any other pests will not penetrate into the substrate. It should not come into contact with the ground, but blowing air on it from all sides is a must!

Compost for champignons should be moderately moist, as excess moisture can damage correct processes fermentation.

Be that as it may, the street - best place for the maturation of the substrate, the active release of ammonia and carbon dioxide will not be useful to anyone. The average time for the substrate to be “ready” and fermented is approximately 25-30 days. During this period, it is recommended to stir it at least three times (to ensure uniform fermentation). You will know that the process has come to an end by the absence of the specific smell of ammonia. By this time its color acquires a brownish tint. While the substrate is fermenting, the temperature inside it can be approximately +50..+65 C°, and ready-to-use compost has a temperature of no more than +24..+25 C°.

By the way, to enrich the contents of the compost when you first mix it, you can add general composition crushed lime. During the second mixing - superphosphate fertilizer, during the third - ground gypsum or its construction analogue (alabaster). The already “ready” substrate, in addition to the characteristics described above, does not stick to your hands, is springy upon tactile contact, the straw is extremely softened, and is easily divided into fragments.

As an alternative independent process When preparing a substrate, it is advisable to purchase ready-made compost, which is sold in the gardening departments of supermarkets or flower shops. Of course, such a substrate will be of lower quality than one prepared by hand, even though it will be written on the packaging that it has all the required characteristics.

Here it’s up to you to decide what is more convenient for you, whether you have the time to carry out all the preparations for growing these mushrooms. Looking at the general characteristics of “good” compost, let's highlight the main ingredients.

Composition of compost for growing champignons:

1. For these purposes, it is generally accepted that horse waste products are the best. In addition, it is important to consider that the horses ate hay, and not green grass. The moisture content of horse manure for making up the substrate should be approximately 45%. Horse waste can be replaced with cow or poultry waste, but, according to the experience of experienced mushroom pickers, the harvest on such a “basis” will be much worse. So, you will need about 100 kg of horse manure.
2. Straw - it is better to choose a dry, rye or wheat variety. You will also need about 100 kg of this.
3. Alabaster (gypsum) – approximately 6 kg.
4. In other cases, alabaster is replaced with urea (2.5-3 kg) or the same amount of saltpeter (per 100 kg of straw and 1000 kg of manure). As we remember, these fertilizer additives are added when mixing the compost.
5. Again, using 100 kg of horse waste, 100 kg of well-dried rye straw, 3 kg of urea, 5 kg of chalk, 2 kg of superphosphate, 8.5 kg of gypsum when mixed will create the optimal ratio of ingredients.

How to grow champignons at home? Use fresh animal products while they still contain maximum nutrients. Make sure that the added components do not contain pine shavings or sawdust - they release resin, and these mushrooms sense it and react painfully to its presence. Phosphorus fertilizers, as well as urea, are actually highly recommended and useful - they are sources of phosphorus and nitrogen, which are so necessary for champignons. But chalk normalizes the acidity of the substrate and maintains an optimal pH level.

Champignons: growing at home is the easiest way to create layers:

1. We take a convenient wide container, fill it with hot water, and soak the straw for about 24 hours.
2. After this, we lay it in layers along with manure. You will get approximately 5-6 layers. Do not forget to moisten each layer with not very hot water, lightly, but do not wet it abundantly.
3. After 3 days have passed, we take a pitchfork and thoroughly mix the compost-straw “pie”, but at the same time add fertilizers - superphosphate with urea (urea). At this stage, the substrate begins to smell strongly of ammonia. After 4 days, we shovel the substrate again, additionally adding those feedings that are required according to the standard for this variety.
4. In general, mixing the compost should be done approximately 4 or 5 times throughout the entire process. Spare no effort on this - useful elements will be evenly distributed throughout the entire composition, and the mass will acquire a relatively uniform consistency.

The so-called “care” of compost has already been described above, but I would like to add and repeat the warning regarding excessive moisture. Too much moisture in the substrate will slow down its maturation, but what’s worse, it will wash everything out of the mixture. healthy ingredients required for development and growth.

Compost components (dry hay, horse manure, fertilizers), photo:

Champignon mycelium - planting

The substrate, of course, should be purchased from a reliable representative (special laboratories are best). When the compost is already ripe, we transfer it to an appointed place, put it in boxes or special forms, where further actions will take place:

1. To get good harvest champignons, for 1 m² of compost you will need approximately 500 g of mycelium or 400 g of these varietal spores.
2. If mycelium is used, then small holes, 4 or 5 cm deep, should be made across the entire surface of the container with compost, at a distance of 20 cm from each other. An appropriate amount of mycelium is placed in these holes, but if fungal spores are used for sowing, they are simply scattered evenly over the surface of the substrate.
3. After some time, you will notice spider threads covering the surface of the compost containers. By this time, the humidity temperature in the room should be at the level of 75-95%. To prevent the substrate from drying out, it can be irrigated from time to time with clean, settled water from a spray bottle, and additionally covered with a clean, damp cloth or paper.
4. The mycelium of champignons begins to grow at a temperature of +20..+28 C°, the active phase of the spread of the mushroom “web” begins after about 10 or 12 days, then the top layer of compost will need to be sprinkled with the appropriate soil mixture (about 4-5 cm), wait another 3 days, after which transfer the containers with future mushrooms to a colder room with a temperature of +12..+16 C°. Or forcibly lower the temperature in the room to a given mercury column.
5. Please note that ordinary garden soil for “sprinkling” will not suit you. Prepare in advance a mixture of 1 share of limestone, 5 parts of peat, 4 parts of clean soil. After 3 – 3.5 months, expect the first well-deserved results of your labors.

A harvest from one mycelium can produce from 5 to 8 periods of ripening of new mushrooms. This is called a “wave”; the most generous collection of champignons occurs in the first three “waves”. Here it is important to catch the moment of ripening - when the cap underneath is still covered with thin white skin (film), and the brown plates are not yet visible. The mushrooms need to be unscrewed from their place of growth, but not cut off (so that harmful bacteria do not penetrate into the mycelium through the cut site).

After the crop is harvested, carefully sprinkle the substrate again with the soil mixture described above. During the next two weeks they will grow especially actively.

A mushroom correctly extracted from the soil, photo:

Cap in optimal state of maturation, photo:

How to grow champignons at the dacha in open ground?

In addition to the above-described, most often used “basement” method of growing mushrooms, there are others alternative options. For example, how to grow champignons at home, namely in a summer cottage. Sometimes, for some reason (lack of a basement, garage or other suitable premises), the desire to grow these mushrooms seems impossible. But if you are the happy owner summer cottage- everything is possible!

The most successful period for this is summer and autumn; here it is also important to choose a comfortable place. Champignons - where do they grow? In shaded places, on specially prepared soil, the place for the mycelium should be moderately moist, the soil should not dry out, and the sun's rays should not illuminate the chosen place too much. To protect against drought on hot days, the beds are often covered plastic film or with a special covering material to create a certain microclimate. It is important to bring mushrooms as close as possible to conditions similar to their natural growth environment. Since we are unable to influence weather conditions, you need to try to give the mushrooms moisture when they need it, as well as the presence of fresh air.

In the garden bed under the trees, photo:

After sowing the mycelium on the beds, on open ground, growing champignons - their technology is practically no different from the rules for growing in a cellar. After a couple of weeks, the “webs” of mycelium grow over the soil surface; at this point, the temperature is lowered by sprinkling the soil surface with a thin (up to 5 cm) layer of damp soil. The temperature, similarly, should vary within +12..+15 C°, but in no case reach above +20 C°. As with the method described above, it will be much more productive if this land contains peat and limestone. Regular watering (or rather, gentle irrigation) is best done after sunset - this will optimally moisten the soil and prevent the formation of a dense earthen crust. With the right approach to business, in about 3-4 weeks you can expect a harvest of your own mushrooms.

The mycelium puts out “cobwebs”, photo:

Let's summarize how to grow champignons in the country:

1. It is better to plant mycelium or spores on soil specially prepared for this purpose. This may be soil brought from a forest area.
2. The soil should be optimally saturated with fertilizers, well moistened, and free of stones, fragments of bricks or remnants of old roots.
3. It is best to plant mushrooms in open ground at a neutral air temperature - +21..+22 C°.
4. If a greenhouse is chosen for planting, you should carefully monitor the level of humidity and air temperature in it. The conditions are not much different from basement or garage mushroom cultivation. It should be remembered that heat and drought are destructive for them.
5. As already mentioned, the planting method does not differ from the “basement” analogue (20 cm from each other, shallow holes, sprinkling with earth mixture after the “cobweb” appears).
6. Once the first mushrooms are obtained, the amount of watering can be reduced (so that the roots do not rot), irrigation is everything in this matter.

After all the waves of the mushroom harvest have died down, the spent substrate can simply be disposed of, or can be quite successfully used as organic fertilizer or mulch for some trees or even flower beds. Of course, it will no longer be suitable for re-growing mushrooms, but it will serve well as an excellent supplement for your green inhabitants. As for all kinds of containers, boxes after harvesting and composting, they will require mandatory disinfection, as well as the room where the mushrooms were grown.

A good harvest grows in the form of sharp “waves”: one day the entire surface of the integumentary layer is covered with strong mushrooms, a day later fruiting stops, only to resume just as abruptly a week later. "Waves" means a good harvest. The longer the appearance of mushrooms is extended over time, the worse the overall result. Subject to the conditions of temperature, ventilation and humidity, the size of the harvest is determined primarily by the quality of the compost. In second place after poor compost among the reasons for low yields are diseases.

The first “wave” appears approximately 20 days after gobbling. After another 20 - 25 days, having collected the first three “waves”, the harvest is completed using intensive technology. With extensive technology, when the number of compost changes in the champignon plant (“turnovers”) is smaller, 5-6 “waves” are collected, which takes about two months.

During harvesting, conditions favorable for mushroom fruit formation are maintained in the room: temperature 13 - 16 ° C, CO 2 below 0.1%, humidity at least 80% with slow air movement and not about 90% with fast air movement. These conditions must be observed as carefully as possible: any deviation of the microclimate parameters from the optimal ones reduces the yield and deteriorates its quality. Remember these numbers, they have been verified by generations of mushroom growers.

It is believed that about 75% of all mushrooms grow during the first three "waves" of the harvest. In fact, there are fast strains, in which the main harvest occurs in the first two “waves,” and slow ones, in which it is extended. On average, if you throw away spent compost after the first three "waves", about 25% of the mushrooms will be lost. If you try to collect all the mushrooms, the total harvest for the year will be less due to a reduction in the number of revolutions, and the danger of disease outbreaks increases due to the extended time for collecting mushrooms. As a rule, mushroom growers try to settle on some “golden mean”.

Watering the beds during harvest should be done very carefully. If humidity reaches 100% and dew occurs, a bacterial disease outbreak may occur and the quality of the crop will be reduced. When the champignon fruiting body grows and develops, even one drop of water can cause a stain to appear. The damage from water ingress depends on the structure of the mushroom grower: if the space inside is closely filled with shelves (boxes, trays), then the air flow rate must be maintained high and the danger is generally higher; if the volume of the room is used less rationally and the air movement, accordingly, is more sluggish, then the harm of careless watering is not so great.

Both 100% humidity in the champignon plant and too rapid evaporation of water are equally harmful; both violations lead to the appearance of spots on the caps and a decrease in the quality of the mushrooms. Evaporation depends on a number of circumstances: and on the magnitude relative humidity, and on air speed. The lack of one can be compensated by another. A delicate balance is required here, which only comes with experience.

Let us remind you: after harvesting each “wave”, the beds are watered at an approximate rate of 1 liter of water per 1 kg of collected mushrooms. This replenishes moisture loss in the substrate.

Mushrooms are collected by hand. Grab the cap between your thumb and forefinger and twist it out. The base of the stem breaks off and a clean mushroom remains in the hand without adhered particles of the substrate. If a mushroom clump is caught, the individual fruiting bodies are broken off with a sideways movement and then cleaned of dirt. Mushrooms are immediately placed in boxes or baskets intended for the market or store.

The speed of collecting mushrooms by one person with the simultaneous removal of associated debris with an average yield is 15-20 kg/hour. If the lower part of the legs needs to be cut off, the speed is reduced. Taking the average harvesting speed figures as a basis, you need to keep in mind that the harvesting time in one champignon chamber depends little on the size of the crop. Therefore, the costs of harvesting and, accordingly, the cost of mushrooms are lower, the more pronounced the “waves” and the greater the total harvest.

You should not leave ripe mushrooms in the garden. This is fraught with an outbreak of pests and diseases. In addition, mushrooms with closed caps are universally valued more. After the cap opens, the stem continues to grow, but the weight of the mushroom practically does not increase, so allowing the mushrooms to “grow” to increase the yield is pointless. At the same time, harvesting underdeveloped fruiting bodies too early can significantly reduce the yield: at the stage of a closed private veil, the weight of the mushroom can double in just one day of growth.

The ripening of the next “wave” of mushroom harvest begins only when the entire previous harvest has been harvested. Therefore, energetic collection of young “buds” about 30 mm in size can reduce the interval between “waves” to 8 days, and extended collection of mature fruiting bodies can increase it to 10 days. In the first case, you can set the fruiting rhythm so that the mushrooms ripen only on weekdays, but in the second case, you will almost inevitably have to work on weekends. True, collected young mushrooms weigh less, but their price is higher and the vigorous collection of 6 “waves” of young mushrooms takes generally the same amount of time as the sluggish collection of 4 “waves” of mature champignons. Young mushrooms have a higher shelf life, and this is a valuable quality when sold fresh. Overall loss total mass With an energetic harvesting strategy, the yield is insignificant. This strategy has another advantage that is not too obvious at first glance: collecting closed fruiting bodies reduces the risk of spreading a viral disease if the virus has already settled in the mycelium.

Fresh champignons contain 85 - 95% water (on average 90%), in dried ones 5-20% (on average 10 - 12%). Fresh mushrooms do not show off on the store shelf for long: after three days of storage in the refrigerator at 3°C, the loss of moisture is 10 - 13%, and at 20°C the mushroom loses 25 - 27% of water. After four days of storage at room temperature A loss of about 30% of dry matter may occur.

The results of a special study conducted in English Institute greenhouses, showed that the normal process of cap opening, plate development and spore release is accelerated after the fruiting body is picked. With the rapid development of the plates, the respiration of the fungus increases sharply. At the same time, the concentration of urea in the fruiting bodies increases (in mushrooms, in principle, the same nitrogen metabolism, just like with you and me, people). In general, mushroom weight loss is associated with intense respiration. If mushrooms are frozen, the cells die when they thaw, the fruiting bodies darken and lose quality. Read the next section for more information on ways to preserve mushrooms.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

RUB 1,249,000

Minimum starting capital

4 months

Payback

270,000 ₽

Net profit

How to create a mushroom farm for growing champignons

Project goal- Creation mushroom farm for the cultivation of bispore champignons for the purpose of their subsequent sale in raw form in the Krasnodar Territory and the city of Krasnodar. A satellite growing system was chosen as a business idea, the essence of which is the production and collection of champignons without the equipment of a compost workshop. Compost for champignons is purchased ready-made from a specialized company in the volumes required for production. Thanks to this, the volume of initial capital investments is reduced and time resources are saved. The enterprise has a small format. Productivity per year is up to 17 tons of mushrooms per year.

low level of initial capital investment;

Financial calculations for the project were made for an enterprise that included 6 chambers with a total growing area of ​​570 sq. m. meters. The production cycle lasts about 60-63 days. The production technology is based on the implementation of three main stages: purchase and delivery of phase 2 compost, mycelium germination, mushroom picking. The harvest is then sold in small wholesale to retail chains city ​​of Krasnodar and at our own retail outlet at the grocery market.

The cost of the project will be 1,249,000 rubles. For implementation, it is planned to attract borrowed funds in the amount of 700,000 rubles. The loan term is 24 months. Interest rate - 22%. Deferred payment of the first installment – ​​3 months.

*for 4 months of work

The preparatory period, including repairs and equipment of the premises, will take 4 months. Reaching the planned sales volume – 3 months.

Profitability of growing champignons

Champignons are one of the most popular cultivated mushrooms in the world. They account for about 75-80% of all cultivated mushrooms. The market for cultivated mushrooms in Russia cannot be called developed - before the embargo was introduced in August 2014, imports significantly exceeded domestic production (92% versus 8%). However, the departure of imported manufacturers and the devaluation of the ruble with a subsequent increase in product prices spurred domestic production, which over the six months of 2015, according to various sources, grew from 15 to 22%.

Despite the reduction in imports (according to estimates " Russian newspaper“, over 6 months of 2014, the number of foreign products decreased by 24%), there is a shortage of mushroom products on the Russian market. These factors contribute to starting your own business.

The goal of the project is to open a mushroom farm for growing champignons in the Krasnodar region, with a productivity of up to 17 tons of mushrooms per year. The company is a farm in a village located 5 km from the border of the city of Krasnodar. The production is located in its own premises with an area of ​​320 square meters. meters, previously used as a warehouse. The mushroom farm has 6 growing chambers.

A distinctive feature of the production is working with ready-made compost (phase 2), which is purchased from a specialized company in Krasnodar. Compost is delivered in the form of briquettes. In this regard, the enterprise does not need its own composting workshop, which somewhat simplifies the production procedure.

The main advantages of a mushroom farm using ready-made compost are:

lower level of initial capital investment;

minimal risks of loss of yield;

simplification production process.

The company's staff consists of 5 people, including a technologist, a sales manager, an accountant, a salesperson and a mushroom picker. The enterprise management structure is simple. At the head of the business is the director of the enterprise, to whom the rest of the employees report directly. Form of ownership - individual entrepreneur with a simplified taxation system (6% of income received).

How to find a market for selling champignons

The company's produced and sold product is champignon mushroom (champignon bisporus), which is considered one of the most cultivated mushrooms in the world. Champignon has wonderful taste, is used in many dishes and has a number of beneficial properties. Champignons are stewed, fried, boiled, pickled, added to first and second courses and salads.

80% of the mushroom consists of water. Another 20% are vitamins, minerals and organic acids. Champignons are rich in phosphorus, the content of which is close to that of fish. Due to their low calorie content, champignons are considered a dietary product, and due to the absence of sugar, they can be consumed by people with diabetes. Substances contained in champignons reduce cholesterol levels and prevent the development of tumors. Also, consuming these mushrooms reduces the likelihood of a heart attack and prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

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Due to their well-known nature and taste properties, the demand for champignons in Russia is constant. Mushrooms are sold both fresh, dried and canned. This project proposes the sale of exclusively fresh products (morning collection, cooling).

Any special pre-sale preparation the product does not require, including only standard procedures (washing). Transportation is carried out in ordinary boxes with a capacity of 3-5 kg.

Champignons are an environmentally friendly product, for the production of which no chemicals are used. Since growing champignons requires compost, the issue of disposal of production waste is the removal of used compost. For every ton of phase 2 compost loaded into the growing chamber, about 600-650 waste compost remains at the end of the period. However, spent champignon compost can serve good fertilizer for gardeners and gardeners and serve as an additional source of income.

Marketing and sales of raw champignons

Raw champignons are in demand among a large category of the population who deal self-cooking food. Housewives choose them purposefully for preparing first or second courses, quite often choosing mushrooms by size. The key requirements for these mushrooms are simple, but extremely comprehensive - freshness and quality. However, such products cannot always be found in stores or markets. According to a survey conducted by the magazine “School of Mushroom Growing” together with the Department of Mycology and Algology of Moscow State University, 17% of respondents do not buy mushrooms because they are not satisfied with the quality, and also because they are simply not on the shelves at the time of visiting the store.

Poor-quality stale champignons may have a grayish color, dark spots on the caps, and damaged film. An indicator of a low-quality mushroom can also be its consistency, which can resemble a sponge and weak elasticity. In addition, the spoiled product has a weak or unpleasant odor.

High-quality champignon is white, slightly pinkish or delicately beige color, matte cap without stains. The mushroom film is either whole (in small champignons) or with tears (in large and medium ones). The smell of this mushroom is pleasant, and the mushroom feels elastic and dense to the touch. The production process will be aimed specifically at creating high-quality champignons.

Both small family farms and large enterprises sell champignons in Krasnodar. The price of raw products in the city varies from 80 rubles. (wholesale) up to 255 rub. per kilogram and averages 170 rubles. per kilogram. As a competitive advantage in initial stage It is expected that mushrooms will be sold at a price of 160 rubles. per kilogram.

If we characterize the situation on the Russian mushroom market as a whole, we can note trends that contribute to starting your own business. According to the magazine “School of Mushroom Growing”, in the first half of 2015, the volume of production of cultivated mushrooms in Russia increased by 15% compared to the same period in 2014. The production volume of champignons reached 4,720 tons, an increase of 606 tons.

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The growth of the market was facilitated by factors such as the fact that products were subject to an embargo (the import of fresh mushrooms from EU countries was prohibited), and as a result, a reduction in imports, as well as the devaluation of the ruble. Thanks to the current situation, manufacturers were able to increase production capacity and also raise selling prices. In particular, prices for champignons increased by an average of 35% compared to the first half of 2014.

At the initial stage, it is planned to sell the manufactured goods at our own retail outlet on the Krasnodar market, as well as in small wholesale. Used to maintain freshness refrigeration equipment. The product does not need any large-scale advertising campaigns. It is planned to attract wholesale buyers using free advertisements on the Internet, as well as through our own connections. Delivery of products to the place of sale is organized using our own transport (cargo van).

Champignon production plan

The mushroom farm has a good location, located 5 km from the city of Krasnodar, where the products are sold. The main compost supplier is located within an hour's reach from the enterprise, with whom a supply agreement has been concluded.

Mushroom production technology includes several main stages. Due to the fact that ready-made compost is purchased, compost production is completely absent from the production cycle.

At the first stage Pasteurized compost (phase 2), seeded with mycelium and containing microelements necessary for mushroom growth, is purchased from a specialized company. The compost is packaged in a special shrink film and is a rectangular block weighing 20 kg. The mycelium itself, located in the block, is at an early stage of overgrowth. Compost delivery is organized within 24 hours to avoid negative impact temperature and external factors. The purchased batch of compost must correspond to the area of ​​the germination chamber.

Second stage implies fruit formation. A rack system is used to grow champignons. Mushroom blocks are stacked horizontally. The film is cut off from the top of the briquette, and the side parts are lowered to the bottom to provide a single compost space. The film at the bottom of the briquette ensures the preservation of moisture necessary to obtain a high yield. The temperature required for germination is maintained in the chamber.

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At the third stage Fruiting and mushroom picking occurs. The harvest time after filling the chambers with phase 2 compost is about 35 days. Low yield is considered to be 130-160 kg/t. The average yield is about 160-190 kg/t, good and high 190-230 kg/t and from 230 kg/t, respectively. The temperature at the mushroom picking stage should be 17-18°C.

Collection is carried out daily or with short breaks between waves. The fruiting bodies are not cut off, but twisted out, then the remains of the rhizome are cut off. The collection process takes place while wearing gloves. For storage after harvesting, the crop is placed in a refrigerator. The quality of mushrooms and their shelf life are determined by their dry matter content, which is about 7-8%. If these indicators are exceeded, the mushrooms will be watery, and the shelf life will not exceed 2 days.

The total area of ​​the mushroom farm is 320 square meters. meters. To obtain a regular harvest (at least 18-20 times a month), it is necessary to create 6 chambers with a total area of ​​288 square meters. meters (48 sq. meters each), since in in this case possible to harvest from different cameras, located at different waves of fruiting. In this case, the chamber is loaded with phase 2 compost every 10 days. An approximate schedule of work on a farm with 6 growing chambers is presented in Table. 1.

Table 1. Work schedule on the farm with three growing chambers

The costs of cleaning the premises, repairs, thermal insulation, dividing into growing chambers, as well as providing the necessary communications (light, water, heating) will amount to 579 thousand rubles.

The cost of equipping the premises (purchase and installation) will amount to 470 thousand rubles. To grow champignons, you will definitely need to equip the room with a ventilation and air conditioning system. This must be done in order to regulate the air temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide content in the chambers. It will also be necessary to equip the building with a cooling, heating, automatic climate control system, electrical and water supply systems, refrigeration chambers and 5-tier shelving. To reduce costs, it was decided to give preference to equipment that was partially used, but of good quality.

To ensure the operation of the enterprise, you will need 1 manager, whose role will be the owner and founder of the company. To ensure the production process, you will need 1 technologist, 2 mushroom pickers, a laborer, as well as a seller for your own outlet in the market. The staffing table and payroll are given in Table. 3

Table 3. Staffing and wage fund

Considering the use of 5-tier racks, total area cultivation will be about 570 sq. meters. In order to grow champignons in such an area you will need about 48 tons of compost. Compost weighing 8 tons is purchased once every 9 days in 20 kg briquettes (400 briquettes per batch), wrapped in shrink film. The cost per ton of compost is 9 thousand rubles. The cultivation rate, subject to the required standards, is 25-35%. The total production volume will be 12-16.8 tons per production cycle and 72-100 tons per year. Thus, 200 kg of mushrooms will be sold per day. Compost delivery is organized by a private carrier. The delivery time of compost to the mushroom farm is 45 min-70 min. The cost of delivery services is 500 rubles/hour.

As a result, the costs of the main period are based on wages employees (102.7 thousand people), purchase consumables, rent of a retail outlet on the market (8 thousand rubles per month), payment for compost delivery services (500 rubles/hour), payment for housing and communal services, fuels and lubricants.

Organizational plan for growing champignons

The project implementation period will be 4 months. It is planned to complete repairs, redevelopment, and thermal insulation of the premises within 2.5 months. Another 1.5 months will be required to install the air conditioning and ventilation system and equip it with other equipment.

Direct management and management of the project is carried out by the owner, who solves the main strategic functions, combining his responsibilities with the functions of a sales manager. Daily operation is supported by 2 employees involved in collection and storage, a technologist, and a general worker who is also involved in loading and delivering mushrooms to the point of sale.

Financial plan for champignon production

The costs of the preparatory period required for equipment and repairs will amount to RUB 1,049,000. Taking into account working capital, the cost of the project will be 1,249,000 rubles. For implementation, it is planned to attract borrowed funds in the amount of 700,000 rubles. The loan term is 24 months. Interest rate - 22%. Deferred payment of the first installment – ​​3 months.

The financial indicators of the project - revenue, cash flow, net profit - are given in Appendix 1. Calculations are made based on the planned sales volume of 7.3 tons of mushrooms per month.

Assessment of the efficiency of growing champignons

The project to open a mushroom farm is different high level efficiency, which is confirmed by the indicators given in Table. 4. The payback period of the project will be 7 months. The discounted payback period is 8 months. Net profit of 270 thousand rubles. upon reaching the planned volume, it is guaranteed for 3 months. work.

Table 4. Project performance indicators

Risks and guarantees of a mushroom farm

The project to open a mushroom farm for growing champignons is a well-developed type of business, and therefore the risks of implementing the business idea are minimal. Their reduction is also influenced by the presence of premises in the property, positioning of products in the middle price segment (160 rubles per kg of fresh champignons), and favorable market conditions. However, in the course of its activities, an enterprise may encounter some predictable and unpredictable circumstances, the assessment of which is presented in Table. 5.

Table 5. Assessment of project risks and measures to prevent their occurrence or their consequences

Applications

APPENDIX 1

Basic financial indicators project in a five-year perspective

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