Mushroom cultivation in Europe is a strategic agricultural sector that combines tradition with innovation. With an annual production of about one million tons, this agricultural sector is an important source of income for thousands of farmers and provides healthy and sustainable food. In Europe, the annual sales of the edible mushroom industry exceed 1.5 billion euros. Poland and the Netherlands are the largest producers in Europe, accounting for 50% of the total European production, followed by Spain with a total production of 130,700 tons per year.
Current Situation of The Mushroom Cultivation Industry in Europe
The consumption of mushrooms in Spain has been increasing in recent years. White button mushrooms account for about 90% of the Spanish mushroom production and are the most consumed mushroom in Spain. Other types of cultivated mushrooms consumed in Spain are oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and white button mushrooms, but what they have in common is that these mushrooms are a healthy source of nutrition and are affordable. In fact, the price of mushrooms in Europe has remained around 3 euros per kilogram in recent years.
Mushrooms are a source of protein, fiber, vitamins and are rich in B vitamins such as vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B12. It is also worth noting that they contain minerals such as potassium and selenium, which contribute to the maintenance of cardiovascular, muscular and bone health. Therefore, in order to promote these benefits to consumers throughout Europe, especially young people, GEPC Promo (European Mushroom and Mushroom Growers Promotion Organization) launched the EU co-funded promotional campaign “European Mushrooms: Treasures to be discovered”. Its goal is to raise awareness among consumers about European mushrooms, their many advantages for a healthy and balanced diet. However, according to a recent study, mushrooms already occupy an important part of their shopping baskets and they buy mushrooms frequently.
On January 9, the European mushroom growing industry held a meeting in Brussels with the Directorate-General for Agriculture, which showed that by 2025, the European mushroom growing industry will stabilize its production, with an expected production of 1,040,200 tons. Poland and the Netherlands are the main producers, accounting for more than 70% of the total production, and Italy ranks firmly in sixth place. The industry mainly focuses on mushroom varieties grown in controlled environments to ensure high quality standards, although the production of mushrooms is increasing. In Italy, Cardoncello, Pioppino and Shiitake production is now widely available in markets and large retail chains. About two-thirds of production is sold on the fresh market, while the rest is processed.

Challenges for The European Mushroom Growing Industry
Andrea Prando, president of the Italian Mushroom Growers Association, reports that the industry is currently facing major challenges, including market development and production costs, as well as regulatory pressures on packaging and peat use. From an economic perspective, the European mushroom growing industry employs more than 40,000 workers and benefits from an integrated promotion system with more than 86 million online impressions and exceeds the participation target in 2024. However, the industry has also expressed some concerns, such as those related to production costs. The increase in minimum wages and energy costs has seriously affected operating margins.
The second issue concerns sustainability. It is urgent to find alternatives to peat, which is used as a supplement to the growing medium. The Bioschamp project and many associations and companies are testing alternative materials with encouraging results, but this is not enough to guarantee the replacement of peat. Technical and regulatory issues remain unresolved, including the actual yield from cultivated soil.
But the most feared and discussed issue at the moment is packaging. From 2030, new EU regulations will ban the use of plastics in fresh fruit and vegetables, except for specific exemptions. Mushrooms are sensitive to water loss and physical impacts and may require very expensive innovative packaging solutions or be included in the exemptions. In this sense, the European Mushroom Growers Group is already in negotiations with the EU, as the perishable nature of the product means that the need to provide certainty for the industry is very important.
Outlook for The European Mushroom Growing Industry
The mushroom growing industry is optimistic about the opportunities for innovation and development, even if it is in a transition phase and the various attempts to automate the picking of fresh produce are currently just experiments and have not yet made worthwhile investments. The industry can continue to develop and strengthen its strategic role in European and national agriculture, supported by targeted policies and investments in innovation, but it is necessary to create a general culture of modern agricultural technologies, which is key to meet challenges and seize future opportunities, but they must be perfectly combined with economic sustainability.