With the establishment of MIANI the prospect for the local industry should be a bit brighter. But grants do not alleviate a problem if they are inadequately directed, towards the wrong thing. The monies need to be directed to the right areas. Assistance can be well meant but ineffectual in any walk of life. A Dutch expert over in Ireland recently was asked was there any light at the end of the tunnel for the mushroom grower in Ireland. The response – "there's too much light at the end of all the tunnels!" The basics need to be secured to provide the basis for the industry to survive. Investment in tunnels, insulation, doors, new fans, re-covering and the marketing end of things – this it seems is what is needed initially by growers throughout the north. It would seem prudent to strengthen the foundations on which the industry rests in the first instance. The newly formed association has its work cut out for it –getting the money, and getting it for the right things. Hopefully it'll all work out well.
