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conditions. However, the better growers are either expanding their facilities, or planning to build new ones using more modern technology. Composting with bunkers and tun- nels rather than traditional turners, and gone is the old traditional compost pasteurisation on racks in favour of using Phase II compost in blocks.
A photo Mr Kabi, the head grower of Malard, res- ponsible for both old farm filling 275 tons Phase II blocks weekly and new farm filling 100 tons Phase II bulk weekly. 8 more rooms of the same size are being prepared and hope to be in production by middle of next year by which time the 2 farms will be filling close on 500 tons Phase II weekly. Mr Kabi is on the left and Dr Hossein Riahi of Malard Mushrooms (who is director responsible for spawn and casing production) standing in the entrance of the new farm.
in Iran having formed a good relationship with the Iranian mushroom growing industry.
Modernisation The recent news from the Iranian Mushroom Growers’ Association that there are many smaller growers going out of business is not so surprising, when you see the older traditional farms struggling with production. Often, these farms have a lack of knowledge regarding pest and disease control and the overall quality of mushrooms is poor. These farms also use plastic bags to transport the mushrooms to market in unrefrigerated vehicles or even on top of cars through hot and sunny
Self sufficiency Being self sufficient for the main essentials has been a life line for the industry as had they been encoura- ged into being more reliant on importing spawns and casing materials from the west, they would have been in very deep trouble once the latest sanctions took hold. Importing anything from outside the country is now even more difficult and expensive than previous. Fortunately many of these companies have had years of experience in spawn production and Mycelia’s Magda Verfaillie has also visited Iran in the past to help spawn producers with the finer details of manufacturing in small volumes. Casing too has become difficult to import, not only because of the sanctions, but also because of the hi- gher cost in basic materials and transportation. Freight forwarders have increased the cost of sea traffic to Iran in case they do not see their shipping containers returned, and they know importers have less choice of whom will do business with them. So now many farms make do with their own home produced materials often based on SMC plus a variety of local peats, or - if and when available - some Dutch casing blended in at a ratio of 60% SMC plus 20% local peat and 20% impor- ted casing. The use of a large proportion of SMC may reduce the yields slightly but can add more density to the mushrooms which are of very good quality.
Are times-a-changing? Changes in the Iranian government through the recent elections may bring a differing approach and attitude towards the west, and the west with them, which may in time lead to the removal of the sanctions (or at least a partial removal). If and when that happens there will be a big sigh of relieve from the growers in this country among many other similarly affected businesses.◗
Crops in old farm of Malard, 1813 is block of old rooms which are 2 stories high
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