The members of the Hessische Landesfachgruppe Pilzanbau (HLP) met as such for the last time on September 12 and 13. Not because the group ceases to exist, but because of its transition into the successor, the European Society of the Specialty Mushroom Industry e.V. (ESSMI).
This time the location was the Van de Valk Hotel in Zaltbommel, The Netherlands, where the members meeting took place on September 12. This included a review of the HLP’s activities over the past year and the establishment of its successor in June. Members also discussed production and import statistics from recent years. After maximum cadmium (EU) levels in cultivated mushrooms were discussed, the destination of the ESSMI study trip in 2024 was presented. Chinese supplier Satrise, in collaboration with CEFA and ESSMI, will host a program in April in China next year, .
CNC Exotic Mushrooms
After a presentation about the company in the hotel, the visitors left for the location of CNC Exotic Mushrooms (CEM) on the morning of September 13 in Heerewaarden. This internationally operating producer and supplier of substrate for the cultivation of exotics opened a new production location here in 2022, as the facility in Hedel had outgrown its capacity. The company produces high-quality substrates in three shifts with a bulk sterilization system, mainly for the cultivation of shiitake and Pleurotus eryngii.
Lectures and discussion
After lunch a lecture program was offered at Van de Valk. Dr. Karin Scholtmeijer (WUR) spoke about exotic mushroom mycelium as an alternative source for the extraction of proteins, which are needed to continue feeding the rapidly growing world population. In the breakout sessions that followed, participants discussed forward-looking marketing concepts, the future of raw materials for cultivation, basic questions for beginners and ESSMI goals and challenges.
In the picture, ltr: Maarten Reuken and Mart Taks (CNC), Kasper Moreaux, PatrickRomanens and Jürgen Kynast during the discussion at Van de Valk.
A big report on this event can be found in Mushroom Business no 121.
