NEWS GEPC meeting in Rioja


At their 35th Annual General Meeting on June 14, 2013, in Spanish Logroño (Rioja), the delegates of the member countries of the GEPC have discussed the main issues regarding button mushrooms processing and production.


Despite nearly stable imports, temporary exports on the North- American market (following a blocking of Chinese canned mushrooms for non-com- pliance with American qua- lity standards), and controlled stocks of processed products, the balance of the markets of fresh, and mostly canned but- ton mushrooms is still fragile.


A probable reduction of the production is expected in most European producer countries, although specific European pro- grams of investments are likely to stimulate the production in some countries. All the delegates of member countries of the GEPC consider it necessary to strengthen the role of producer organizations in order to achieve a better match between supply and demand. This overall situation bears weight on prices at the agricultural level, while the cost of almost all inputs is increasing, and has an influence on the profitability of all the stakehol- ders of the European mushroom


sector. Straw, which is an essen- tial component in the production of compost, requires special vigilance of the European sector of mushroom, even though the 2013/2014 campaign seems to be off to a relatively good start in all geographical areas of production. European producers are concerned about the new in- clinations of the European Union and national authorities to use straw as a component in various renewable energy projects. The GEPC welcomes the recogni- tion of the Copa-Cogeca, which recently cited the mushroom as one of agricultural production that may be affected in this context. The European button


Sterckx acquires plant in Hungary


In response to the growing market for mushroom com- post in east Europe, compost producer Sterckx will soon start production in Hungary.


Sterckx found suitable partners for this venture in Tony Verhulst and Davy Vanneste, both of whom have extensive national and international experience with real estate projects. Sterckx-Verhulst has acquired the Champignon-Union Kft site (close to Budapest). This Hun- garian composting company ceased operating a year ago. This is Sterckx’s first foreign acquisition. The 30 hectare site has a capa- city of approximately 10,000 tons of mushroom substrate per year. The group plans to invest in expanding this capacity sub- stantially in the coming years. The branch in Hungary will shortly employ about 20 people. Johan Lesage (former composter) and Davy Vanneste will be responsible for plant management in Hungary.


Expansion in Roeselare too The group also wants to grow at its home base in Roeselare, Bel- gium. A number of important


investments are planned at the existing site, which currently has a capacity of 5,000 tons of fresh compost, 2000 tons of spawn run compost and 1,200 m³ of casing soil per week. The composting facility was founded by Jan Sterckx in 1967 and expanded from the 1970s by his son Karel. Some years ago, Bart Sterckx took over the directorship. The company has seen regular, annual invest- ments in expansion at the site in Roeselare. The company presently numbers around 50 employees and generates an annual turnover of €18 million.◗


mushroom industry needs two million tons of wheat straw per year. Finally, the GEPC is sensitive to the evolution of the CMO Fruits and Vegetables, in particular with regard to keeping the system of operational funds and programs, with the producer organisations as main opera- tors. The growers deplore that the mushroom production is de facto excluded from any measure of the 2020 CAP (direct aids and rural development). The production, which is carried out on a substrate made from wheat straw and manure, and not on an arable land, leads to this exclusion. ◗


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Two impressions of Sterckx Hungary, formerly Champignon-Union.


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