The 1^st
International conference “Ukrainian mushroom growing: a strategy of success” is
finished. The event has gathered 200 people from 8 countries, foremost, of course,
from Ukraine.

The general
sponsor of the conference was the world biggest producer of spawn, Sylvan. The other sponsors of the
conference were Mykogen–Ukraine, Champion, Euromycel, Amycel, Mir Solomy.

The three-day
event was filled with presentations and discussions. In particular, the
situation on the EU mushroom market and Eastern Europe was discussed, the
forums devoted to the National Association of mushroom producers, casing soil production,
mushrooms pinning,  hygiene of mushrooms farms,
mushroom picking were held.

The consumption
of mushrooms (except forest mushrooms) in Ukraine is estimated at 64 thousand tonnes,
of which 10,000 tonnes is imported in canned form. The export of mushrooms is
very small. More than 300 mushroom farms are working in the country. The most
important events of the past year  which
have occurred on the mushroom market in Ukraine, were:

•      
Moving
to phase III compost - in 2014,
two composting plants began producing the phase III compost of, and
in 2015 is plans to open  new production of phase 3 compost.

•      
Exports of
fresh mushrooms –  up until 2014 Ukraine practically had no
export of fresh champignons, and in 2014 significant
quantities were shipped to Russia. (Exports to Russia were
discontinued after the introduction of  the embargo on imports
of Ukrainian fruit and vegetable products by Russia  in
October, 2014).

•      
Reducing the
number of farms due to withdrawal from the market of dozens of small producers.

The conference
program included the following presentations:

•      
Mushroom
production in Ukraine: state and prospects,
Bogdan Tovstenko. Sylvan, Ukraine

•      
Situation in the
Russian mushroom market, Alexander Khrenov, 
Sylvan, Russia

•      
Mushroom market
in EU, Balash Erdei, Sylvan, Hungary

•      
How Poland
become a leader in production of mushrooms, Nikodem Sakson, Poland

•      
Mushroom market
in Moldova, Vasile Tabakaru, Amycel, Moldova

•      
Mushroom market
in France, Mathieu Frédéric, Euromycel, France

•      
Methods of
pre-shipment cooling of compost, Vladimir Yarmola, АСР Ukraina LLC

•      
Transition from
Phase II to Phase III in practice, Artem Kovalenko, VKZ

•      
Permissive
papers of mushroom farm, Artem Kovalenko, VKZ

•      
International
standards for food safety. What exporter have to choose?, Ludmila Golovina. SGS
Group, Ukraine

•      
The future of
compost, Nikodem Sakson, Poland

•      
Casing structure,
John Clay, Amycel, GB

•      
Casing soil in
Poland, Artur Wojcieszuk, Wokas,  Poland

•      
How to work with
casing soil, Farida Fahrutdinova, Mikogen, Ukraine

•      
Association in
Holland, Huub Hejer, Holland

•      
International
standart GLOBAL G.A.P. – doors to international markets, Angelika Dosin, Lilia
Audit, Ukraine

•      
Qualifying the
hygiene of mushroom cultivation, Peter Gabris, Technical Sales Representative,
Sylvan, Hungary

•      
Ukrainian myth
about mushrooms disease fight: how the efforts are wasted, Bartosz Jan
Skipor-Rybacki, Poland

•      
Control of
Sciarid flies with nematodes, Michael Barth, E-Nema, Germany

•      
The influence of
water in the mushroom cultivation, Henk Douven, Hedonk / Dofra, Netherlands

•      
Energy efficient
substrate technology for oyster mushrooms, Vitaliy Sevastjanovich, PI
Sevastjanovich, Ukraine

•      
Grain spawn as
an element of successful mushroom production, Nina Bisko, Doctor of Biological
Sciences, a leading researcher in the Department of Mycology Institute of
Botany, Ukraine

•      
Optimization of
technology growing Oyster mushrooms, Bandura Irina, assistant lecturer
Agrotechnological Taurian State University, Ukraine

•      
Elements of
industrial cultivation of Eryngi mushroom, Oksana Vasilenko, Chairman of KFH
"Zhovtneve", Ukraine

•      
Growing of
Shiitake, Dmitry Bahlukov, chief pilot production "Esmash", Ukraine

•      
Effects of trace
elements on technological parameters in mushroom cultivation, Nina Bisko,
Doctor of Biological Sciences, a leading researcher in the Department of
Mycology Institute of Botany, Ukraine

•      
Proper mushroom
picking, Bartosz Jan Skipor-Rybacki, Poland

•      
Pinning, Vasile
Tabakaru, Amycel, Moldova

•      
Concept of
modern mushroom farm, Taras Bilik, Champion Group

The entertainment program at the conference included: a
cooking show, a guided tour around Lviv, a gala dinner with performances from
various artistes. We’re waiting for you at the next conference. 

Article and photographs supplied courtesy of UMDIS.org