One of the oldest home business ideas, “growing champignons as a business,” despite the passage of time, remains popular, profitable and low-cost. Even growing champignons on an industrial scale does not cover the entire demand for this amazing mushroom. Therefore, growing this mushroom at home (at home, in the basement, in the country, in a greenhouse) is a relevant type of business with little time and labor.

Of course, it would be wrong if we say that the champignon growing business is suitable for anyone. First of all, like any business associated with the risk of crop loss, growing mushrooms is a business for passionate and understanding people, so not everyone becomes a mushroom farmer.

Secondly, growing champignons as a business is suitable for trained people who know everything about this mushroom (or quickly fill in the gaps in knowledge about this mushroom), however, this does not make the champignon business cease to be a business that can be started from scratch. After all, knowledge can always be obtained from open sources, for example -

By the way, to start such a business you will need about 2,500 (two and a half thousand!) rubles. This is exactly the amount you will need to organize your first mycelium, which will take up several square meters and will bring you about 20-25 kg of mushrooms in each harvest wave.

Champignon: the history of the mushroom, where it came from, economic significance in human life

You need to start studying and cultivating the champignon miracle mushroom with its amazing history. To everyone’s surprise, champignon is not the name of an individual mushroom, but the name of an entire genus, which contains more than 200 species. Among which there are also frankly poisonous (toxic) representatives. The greatest species diversity of champignons is observed in the steppes and forest-steppes of Eurasia, in the prairies, pampas, meadows and open spaces of Australia and Africa.

But what we usually call champignon, when, for example, we buy this mushroom in a store, is correctly called “ bisporus champignon" It is this mushroom that is cultivated on an industrial scale as edible. And this is also a very interesting story, more about it below.

There are three varieties of bispore champignon: white, cream and brown, of which the cream one (the so-called “royal” champignons) is known only in culture, and the other two are also found in nature.

Let’s agree that here and further in this business idea, the word “champignon” will mean only a cultivated, that is, an edible type of mushroom grown industrially. And in general, this mushroom accounts for up to 80% of the total global production of edible mushrooms.

The first mentions of artificial cultivation of champignons are found in Italy already in the 17th century. There, the top fertile layer of soil - turf with mycelium, cut from pastures, was planted in well-manured beds in vegetable gardens. Then the method progressed to a closed one, when champignons began to be grown indoors. Abandoned Italian quarries were perfect for the latter, where optimal conditions for the growth of champignons are maintained all year round - humidity, light, temperature.

The popularity of this mushroom, along with the culture of its cultivation, quickly spread throughout Italy and into neighboring countries - Switzerland and France. The French “Guide to Gardening” of 1652, in a short note, documents the popularity of the champignon culture, which is grown in large numbers near Paris. Just 50 years later, in 1707, the French botanist Joseph de Tournefort draws up an independent document that describes the rules for growing this mushroom at home. That is, we can say that this business idea is at least 300 years old. Marvelous!

By 1754, descriptions of the technology for growing champignons in greenhouses specially built for them appeared. Sweden can be considered the birthplace of this technology.

As for Russia, champignon has been known there since the middle of the 18th century. But these were individual attempts by botanical enthusiasts; there was no talk of industrial cultivation. Since it was believed that champignon does not grow in the harsh natural conditions of Russia. But already in 1780, an article was published in the Russian newspaper “Economic Bulletin” Andrey Boltov(famous landowner, botanist, writer and memoirist) “Something about champignons.” It is with this article that the popularity of this mushroom in Russia begins to spread.

Already by the 20s of the 19th century, an industrial culture of growing mushrooms appeared in Russia. For this purpose, special champignon bowls from the peasant Osinin were used. A famous Russian gardener-innovator and breeder Efim Grachev Since 1848, he took up the problem of growing champignons in Russia. In 1860-1861, his rules and techniques for growing this mushroom were published in the “Bulletin of the Russian Society of Gardening”. The technique developed by Grachev for growing champignons in the conditions of the Russian north is still relevant and, after some modern adjustments, is successfully used today.

The eminent and famous Pasteur Institute in France in 1893-1894 developed methods for obtaining sterile champignon mycelium. This marked the beginning of the selection and production of pure mushroom mycelia. By the 1970s, 30 countries were already engaged in the industrial cultivation of champignons.

For a long time it was believed that the familiar cultivated champignon (depicted, for example, in the photograph of this business idea) is a variety of the common champignon, most widely found in nature. In 1906, after significant differences were found, the cultivated champignon was identified as a separate species - bisporus champignon. And for a long time it has been believed that this species does not occur in nature, but appeared as a result of selection. However, wild bisporus mushrooms were discovered in 1930. Then how did it happen that bisporus began to dominate in cultural breeding? The explanation is quite simple. Wild mycelium, as the basis of garden bed culture, always contains several similar types of mushrooms, for example, common, bisporous, and ring champignons. But on manured soil, only bisporous species grow best and fastest. They, as a result of cultural breeding, replaced all other mushrooms. In general, the reason is manure!

Varieties of popular champignons that bear the most fruit

All cultivated mushrooms, as it became clear from the text above, are grown from pure mycelium. The site recommends purchasing the correct mycelium from trusted brands.

Mycelium (mycelium) is the vegetative part of the fungus, which consists of thin “webs” - hyphae. Mycelium, in the primary view, is a living organism, so it does not tolerate drying out and must be stored in the refrigerator.

The most correct types of mycelium are grain living mycelium and compost mycelium. These types of mycelium are very active and have good yields, however, they can only be purchased from trusted sellers. Which can guarantee constant storage conditions for this type of “seedling” - at a temperature not higher than +1...7°C.

In the markets and shops of the city you can find quite cheap “dry” types of mycelium. The use of such “seed material” is a lottery in terms of germination and yield. Since, if there were a proven drying technology with a guarantee of germination and yield, then most mycelium production laboratories would produce it. This method would save production from expensive and voluminous refrigeration units necessary to store the finished product. But so far there are no such universal technologies. Therefore, good mycelium is stored only in “live” form and only in refrigerators.

List of proven productive and cultivated varieties of champignons. The list, of course, is not complete; variations and new selections appear every year. But for a novice mushroom picker it will be quite useful.

1. "Sylvan 130" (Sylvan 130). Selective type of champignons. Bred at an American research institute. The most unpretentious hybrid. Forms fruiting bodies of different sizes, depending on the growing environment. It quickly colonizes compost and is characterized by high yield and germination rate. Suitable for growing in bags, boxes, pallets and on shelves. Suitable for fresh sale and canning.
2. "Somycel" 512, 608 (Somycel 512,608). Several strains of hybrid champignons bred in France. One of the most popular varieties in Europe. Characterized by crop stability. Withstands a large number of crop waves. Demanding about growing conditions. It has well-proportioned, medium-sized fruits.
3. "Hauser A15" (Hauser A15). One of the latest strains on the market. Very popular in Europe and America. It differs from other strains in its high yield while maintaining a large cap size. It has a very dense structure and wonderful color. The variety is not prone to the formation of scales on the cap, which is highly valued in the premium segment of the business. The variety easily tolerates cultivation and cultivation on various composts. Reacts well to fertilizers and fertilizing. Recently, it has been the most popular variety on the market, which has led to the reorientation of most farms and businesses towards it.

There is no need to be afraid that all these laboratory varieties are artificial hybrids. Because only these varieties of champignons differ in quality, resistance to cultivation and appearance. “Wild” varieties, even from pure mycelium, are small, inconspicuous and, at times, toxic, that is, not edible.

Schematic diagram of growing champignons at home

The mycelium must be planted strictly according to the instructions, which must be attached to each seed.

The basis for growing mushrooms, in addition to the mycelium itself, is the substrate.

Substrate is a specially prepared medium for growing and cultivating mushrooms. Contains soil, nutrients and other auxiliary elements.

The substrate for champignons is prepared from horse or cow manure (cow and other types of manure reduce yield by 20-25%) and straw from winter wheat varieties. The straw should be filled with plenty of water, urea, superphosphate and baking powder should be added - gypsum, chalk or sand. Add manure to the prepared mixture. After which, you need to wait 20-25 days for the mixture to “burn” - rot and become a substrate. The substrate must be pasteurized by exposure to temperature, about 80°C, this will remove all infections from the soil that can harm the mycelium.

After preparing the substrate, the mycelium can be planted. The mycelium is planted using a process inoculation— the mycelium is distributed in an even layer onto the substrate layer. After which it is covered with a 6 cm layer of substrate. This “pie” is kept at a temperature of +25°C with a humidity of at least 85%. After 14 days, the finished “bed” is covered with additional soil (chernozem + peat + chalk in a ratio of 1:1:1). The room temperature drops to +14°C. It is important to avoid drafts.

Champignon business, who to sell to, how much you can earn

Finding a client in the mushroom business is much more difficult than finding a mushroom in season. But don't give up. There are proven sales schemes for ready-made champignons. If you are not going to open your own mushroom processing plant in the future (canning, snacks, etc.). Then you can sell your products, fresh mushrooms, to intermediary companies - wholesalers. They will accept your product for sale for 50-75% of the final cost. In the future, when production is established and your product gets a “name”, you will be able to independently look for points of sale, that is, become a wholesaler.

The return on your business is quite high; in the first harvest, you will be able to recoup almost all the money invested. And one “sowing” of mycelium can have up to 8 cycles per year.

The approximate production capacity is about 30% of the mass of the substrate, that is, by putting in the proportions of mycelium and substrate - 10 tons, you will get about 3 tons of mushrooms in the first harvest. That is, in 1-2 months. One kg of mushrooms wholesale now costs about 115-130 rubles. It’s easy to calculate that 3 thousand kg of champignons can be sold to intermediaries for 345 thousand rubles. At the same time, there is no equipment, specialized premises and energy supply costs.

The cost of finished compost (with 30% return) for champignons is about 15 rubles per kg, that is, 10 tons will cost 150,000 rubles, and that’s if you don’t prepare it yourself. And if you cook it yourself, then you can earn additional income by selling the finished substrate. You can prepare 20 tons of soil for yourself, sell 10 tons for 150 thousand, and sow champignons on the rest of the soil.

In total, in a year you can get up to 8 waves of harvest from one planting. Of course, each wave will produce fewer ready-made champignons, but still, this is significant money, up to 300 thousand rubles per “wave”.

The documentation is simple - champignons are not a first category product, which means they need a conclusion on sanitary compliance, a certificate of conformity and an examination for the absence of GMOs. Activities are formalized according to the classifier.

Video champignons as a business

♦ Capital investments – 950,000 rubles.
♦ Payback – 1 year.

Champignon is one of the favorite mushrooms in different countries because it is tasty, easy to prepare, affordable and is always available in abundance on supermarket shelves.

If you believe historians, the pioneers of the cultivated cultivation of champignons were French peasants, who, back in the late 1600s, noticed that if adult champignons were washed with water, and then poured this water onto a compost heap, periodically watering this area, then on the compost heap you could harvest good harvest.

Growing champignons as a business, took root in England.

Mushroom farms were established there at the beginning of the 18th century.

Gradually, this practice began to take root throughout the world.

Features of growing champignons as a business

People first started talking about champignons as a business in Russia in the 1990s, during a period of terrible economic crisis.

Then farms for growing these unpretentious mushrooms, organized in abandoned mines, saved more than one village that was on the verge of extinction.

Gradually, the technology for growing champignons began to improve, and other methods of harvesting began to be practiced.

Many entrepreneurs are under the misconception that agricultural business is difficult and not very profitable.

Industrial cultivation of champignons, although it belongs to the field of agriculture, completely breaks these stereotypes.

Growing champignons is definitely profitable, otherwise this market would not have grown by 25% just in the previous year.

If we take the average statistical data, we see that every Russian eats at least 1.5 kg of mushrooms per year and this trend, according to experts, will only increase.

All this should lead businessmen looking for a profitable startup to the idea that they need to organize the industrial cultivation of champignons and make money from their sale.

Getting into this business is quite easy, because you don’t need to purchase expensive equipment or rent gigantic areas in order to grow your first batch of champignons.

And the technology for growing this mushroom itself is extremely simple and you don’t need to be a certified botanist to master it.

In general, if you are looking for a profitable, promising business that does not require huge financial investments, then this is just the business for you.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing champignons as a business

Every businessman interested in quick self-sufficiency and good profits for his business needs to calculate the pros and cons before starting to invest money in any business.

Growing champignons as a business has a number of advantages:

1. To launch a startup you need relatively little money.
2. The mushroom market in Russia has huge holes filled with low-quality imported goods, so you have a chance to gradually build a real empire for growing champignons.
3. The raw material for growing these mushrooms is agricultural waste (compost, straw, chicken manure), which can be purchased for pennies.
4. Champignons can be grown in any conditions (in abandoned mines, in the basements of private houses, in bags directly in apartments, etc.).
5. This mushroom bears fruit all year round if the right conditions are provided.
6. There are plenty of unfilled niches in the market that you can fill.
7. This is a profitable business that will bring you your first profit within a few months of launching your startup.

But you need to remember the main disadvantage of growing champignons as a business, which is the need to find a market for your products.

This may not be so easy, especially in a small town, but if you have your own transport, then nothing prevents you from going to the neighboring large city to sell your products there.

5 ways to grow champignons as a business

The main thing in this business is to get a high percentage of profitability, not yield.

To achieve this, you need to choose the most suitable champignon growing system.

There are 5 main methods for growing mushrooms:

Directly on the ground.

You can set up your own champignon growing business right in an empty mine, your own greenhouse, basement, etc.
This system is very cheap because you don't need to order special equipment.
One of its main disadvantages is the risk of infection of the mycelium, because the soil is full of different microbes.

Dutch shelf growing system.

Such production can be started, for example, in your barn or garage.
The more shelves you equip, the more harvest you will reap.
One of the disadvantages of this system is the high cost of arranging a room for growing mushrooms.

In bags.

This is the simplest and most profitable system for growing champignons.
Firstly, you can grow mushrooms in bags even in your own apartment.
Secondly, your mushrooms will be isolated from each other and, if you notice signs of infection in any of them, you can simply throw away this bag and protect the rest of the crop from infection.

In containers.

If you choose this method, you will need to purchase special, very expensive, containers that are treated from the inside with a solution against infections.
The system for growing champignons in containers can be made fully automated, getting a good harvest and increasing your profit level.

In briquettes.

One of the favorite methods of growing mushrooms among many domestic businessmen.
The purchase price of briquettes is not too expensive, they are easy to transport if you decide to change the cultivation of champignons at home to an industrial scale, and it is easy to protect your crop from diseases.

Growing champignons as a business: advertising campaign and searching for clients

If you are going to grow champignons on a modest scale only for your own use, then you will not have to worry about advertising and finding clients for your business.

It’s a completely different matter, if you want to make good money from growing mushrooms, then you just need to think about an effective advertising campaign for your business.

1. Media in your city.
2. Outdoor advertising.
3. Promotional printed materials that can be handed out, such as business cards or flyers.
4. Social networks.
5. Ads on websites that are frequently visited by residents of your region.

Finding markets depends on the size of your business.

If you grow a few champignons, you can sell them among neighbors, friends and acquaintances.

If you harvest a crop of 100 kg or more, then look for other channels:

1. Independent sale of mushrooms at the nearest market.
   Gradually you will have regular customers.
2. Sale of mushrooms to resellers in markets.
   Yes, you will receive less income than if you sold mushrooms yourself, but you will save a lot of time.
3. Sales of champignons through grocery stores.
   To do this, you need to have all the documents and be a registered entrepreneur.
4. Visiting offices and government enterprises in your city with an offer to purchase champignons from you.
   If the quality of the products you grow satisfies your customers, then in the future you will receive regular orders and bring a specific batch of products.
5. Selling goods via the Internet.
   To do this, you can make your own website, but it is more profitable to sell through social networks.

Growing champignons as a business: calendar plan

Starting a mushroom growing business takes time and money, especially if you want to harvest a crop of several tons, and not a couple of tens of kilograms.

For the preparatory period (registration, equipment of the premises, purchase of compost with mycelium, search for markets, etc.) you will need at least 5 months.

Stage	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
Registration
Search for premises and equipment
Personnel search
Purchasing compost with mycelium
Advertising
First sales

Registration

If your main clients are friends, acquaintances and neighbors, then you shouldn’t bother with the registration procedure.

But those who want to grow champignons on an industrial scale and sell their products through grocery stores should definitely register as an individual entrepreneur or LLC, choose the appropriate form of taxation, and officially employ their employees.

In order to sell your goods through supermarkets and grocery stores, you should issue a number of documents confirming the quality and safety of your products for buyers:

• phytosanitary certificate for mushrooms;
• a certificate confirming that the champignons you grew comply with GOST;
• Radiologist's protocol.

Also, carefully study the instructions for storing and transporting the products you have grown, so as not to destroy your business due to the fact that low temperature or high humidity led to damage to your goods.

Room

Again, the size of the premises directly depends on how large a business you want to open.

If we are talking about a small business (you don’t want to grow a lot of champignons), then you can organize the business even at home.

If you want to receive at least 2–4 tons of products per year, then you need to find a room of at least 100 square meters.

This could be a greenhouse, hangar, abandoned mine, industrial premises, warehouse, etc.

You have three options:

1. Purchase a plot of land and build a building on it that will be ideal for growing mushrooms.
2. Rent a room of suitable size and equip it as you need to open a business growing champignons.
3. Buy property that has previously been used for growing champignons.
   The necessary equipment can be supplied to such a building, so you will be spared the need to look for everything you need to organize your business.

It is imperative to equip the room chosen for growing champignons with a heating and ventilation system so that the temperature is stable all year round at +14–16 degrees, and ammonia and other fumes are drawn out of the room by the ventilation system.

In order to convert a small building for growing champignons, get ready to allocate about 80,000 rubles.

Equipment

It all depends on what method of growing mushrooms you have chosen for yourself: in bags, containers, blocks, on racks, etc.

If we are talking about growing champignons on an industrial scale, then you will have to divide your premises into several zones and purchase equipment with which you will make and pasteurize compost, grow mycelium yourself, etc.

If you are aiming at a more modest business, then you can purchase already prepared compost, seeded with mycelium.

For 10 tons of such compost you will have to pay about 100,000 rubles.

To equip a minimum room and a champignon grower on 100 square meters, you will have to spend another 200,000 rubles.

For 300,000 rub. You will be able to purchase a used Gazelle for product delivery.

If you decide to grow champignons on a smaller scale, then the cost of equipment and compost with mycelium will be significantly lower.

Staff

Business is a fascinating game that combines maximum excitement with a minimum of rules.
Bill Gates

Growing champignons as a business is difficult to do alone, especially if we are talking about an industrial scale.

If you purchased 10 tons of compost and are going to grow mushrooms on an area of ​​100 square meters, then you will need at least two workers to grow champignons and one driver to deliver the finished products.

If you are going to sell goods on the market yourself, then hire a seller for this task.

You can save on the seller's rate if you supply products to stores and market sellers.

As for administrative and accounting functions, see for yourself: you can handle the financial and management side of the business on your own, don’t hire anyone, but if you don’t believe in yourself, hire both a manager and an accountant.

The minimum expenses for staff salaries will be as follows:

How much money do you need to open a champignon growing business?

It all depends solely on the scale on which you intend to grow champignons.

If you want to buy just a few bags of compost to grow goodies for yourself, your friends and acquaintances, then 30–40,000 rubles are enough to start a business.

If we are talking about industrial scale, then get ready to collect at least half a million, or better yet, a million rubles of capital investment:

In addition to the initial investment, you need to have money to service the business (electricity, taxes, staff salaries, etc.), which should be included in the amount prepared for the start, because you will receive income only by collecting and selling the first batch of grown champignons: at least than in 1.5–2 months.

Expense item	Number of months	Amount of expenses per month (in rub.)	Total (in rub.)
Total:			250,000 rub.
Renting premises	2	30 000	60 000
Communal payments	2	20 000	40 000
Staff salaries	2	45 000	90 000
Taxes and administrative expenses	2	15 000	30 000
Advertising	2	5 000	10 000
Additional expenses	2	10 000	20 000

That is, to start growing champignons as a business on an area of ​​100 square meters in a relatively small locality, you should have about 1,000,000 rubles.

How to properly grow champignons

watch the video:

How much can you earn in a year growing champignons as a business?

If we take the previous indicators (10 tons of compost, 100 square meters of area), then we will collect the first harvest of 2,000 kg of champignons.

The selling price of one kilogram is about 100 rubles.

That is, our first earnings will be 200,000 rubles.

In a year, you can collect an average of 6 harvests from one mycelium, which will amount to 1,200,000 rubles.

Discard the amount of starting capital and mandatory monthly expenses and you will get 250,000 rubles. net profit.

Download a ready-made business plan for a mushroom growing farm with quality guarantee.
Contents of the business plan:
1. Privacy
2. Summary
3. Project implementation stages
4. Characteristics of the object
5. Marketing plan
6. Technical and economic data of equipment
7. Financial plan
8. Risk assessment
9. Financial and economic justification for investments
10. Conclusions

As you can see, growing champignons as a business, is a very profitable business.

In a year, you will not only return the capital investment amount of 950,000 rubles, but also earn about a quarter of a million rubles.

Agree, these are good indicators for a start.

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The history of growing champignons goes back more than four hundred years. The work of breeders during this period led to the emergence of new productive varieties and intensive technologies that made it possible to increase yields several times. However, for a long time, industrial cultivation of mushrooms remained accessible only to large farms that were able to purchase expensive climate control equipment or rent a mine to set up a farm.

Today, growing champignons as a business no longer requires multimillion-dollar investments from the entrepreneur: popular methods allow the use of an ordinary basement or greenhouse as a production site. In addition, on the market you can find offers that significantly simplify or completely eliminate some technological processes: for example, for a moderate fee, suppliers are ready to bring to a beginning farmer not only a substrate and a covering mixture, but also entire compost blocks pre-contaminated with mycelium.

Business Features

For beginners, growing champignons at home seems to be a complex and responsible process: unlike oyster mushrooms, these mushrooms are sensitive to changes in microclimate, carbon dioxide concentration, composition of the nutrient mixture and water temperature during irrigation. Productivity depends on many parameters, most of which can only be determined experimentally, so the entrepreneur will have to show observation, perseverance, and a willingness to experiment and overcome the consequences of his own mistakes.

Of course, the technology for growing champignons has long been known to farmers: evidence of this is provided by numerous enterprises that successfully cultivate mushrooms on both a small and industrial scale. Based on the experience they have accumulated, we can identify some characteristic features of this business, both facilitating and complicating production processes.

The undoubted advantages include the following factors:

• Growing champignons at home is not affected by seasonality;
• With a production cycle of 8–10 weeks, up to five harvests can be obtained per year;
• Harvest dates are determined with an accuracy of two to three days;
• Any available room is used as a farm in which the growing conditions necessary for champignons can be provided;
• The raw materials for compost are accessible and inexpensive animal waste, ordinary straw, chalk, lime and common mineral fertilizers;
• Spent compost can be sold to summer residents as fertilizer;
• As a business, growing champignons at home does not require significant investment and the purchase of complex equipment;
• The saturation of the Russian market with goods does not exceed 30–35%.

Cultivating mushrooms also comes with known risks: for example, excessive humidity or insufficient ventilation inevitably leads to crop loss. Therefore, it is more advisable for beginning farmers to start with a small plantation and expand production as they gain experience. In addition, when implementing a business idea for growing champignons, you must consider the following:

• The shelf life of products packaged in polyethylene in the refrigerator does not exceed 6–7 days, after which the fruits dry out and become chapped;
• Closer to autumn, the market is filled with competing products - various wild mushrooms;
• Taking into account the short shelf life of products, the risk of losing an unsold batch is extremely high, so business requires a well-developed sales system;
• With a modest scale of production, there is no need to waste time on the SPD registration procedure: neighbors, acquaintances and other private individuals willingly buy mushrooms, and the remainder of the goods can always be sold on the market as private household products. However, when transitioning to industrial cultivation of champignons, it is necessary to register the enterprise as a peasant farm or individual entrepreneur in the Unified Agricultural Tax system and draw up employment contracts with all employees.

In addition, you will have to pay attention to the preparation of certain permitting documentation:

• Instructions for transportation and recommendations for storing mushrooms (ready-made samples can be found on the Internet for free);
• Protocol for radiological examination of a mushroom workshop (issued once, at the beginning of the farm’s operation) - from 4,500 rubles;
• Phytosanitary certificate (if necessary, only for transporting products across the border) - from 10,000 rubles;
• Certificate of conformity (received for each batch) - 3,500 rubles.

Types of champignons

When considering where to start growing champignons, you must first study the main characteristics of these mushrooms and choose a species suitable for cultivation at home. On private farms, double-ringed, field and meadow champignons are sometimes found, but the absolute leader among them is double-ringed, numerous industrial strains of which have been bred in American and European laboratories.

According to the color of the cap, bisporus champignon varieties are divided into three groups called races - white, cream or brown. The demand for white is explained by its high yield and marketable appearance, however, strains of this race are very sensitive to microclimatic conditions and the quality of compost. Therefore, as a business, growing white champignon mushrooms will be successful only in specially equipped workshops. Brown and cream strains are somewhat less productive, but at the same time have increased resistance to changes in temperature and humidity, along with good resistance to infections, so they can be cultivated in open ground and in greenhouses.

Artificial Strains

Strain	Cap diameter, mm	Weight, g	Productivity, kg/m²
White race
Hauser A15 (large)	40–55	35–45	24–26
B-86 (large)	35–45	28–30	15–20
F-1970 (large)	35–45	25–35	15–22
D-13 (large)	40–45	30–35	12–15
D-12 (large)	40–45	25–35	8–12
Somycel 608 (large)	35–45	30–35	18–20
Somycel 512 (medium)	30–40	25–35	20–28
Sylvan 130 (medium)	35–40	25–35	18–21
X-20 (medium)	40–50	25–35	17–25
Brown race
N-273 (large)	40–55	35–50	15–18
GDR-2 (medium)	35–40	15–20	14–18
A-311 (medium)	30–40	25–35	10–14
Cream race
PC-17 (medium)	40–45	25–30	10–12
F-1 (medium)	30–35	20–25	10–15
KD-2 (small)	20–30	15–20	12–16

Growing technologies

Experiments on growing champignons under various conditions have led to the emergence of five main cultivation methods, the differences between which are the required capital investments and the list of equipment used:

In containers

This technology for growing champignons on an industrial scale is widespread in the USA: mushrooms are planted in plastic or wooden boxes equipped with holes to regulate the temperature and humidity of the compost. Containers are installed on racks, which simplifies plantation processing and saves workshop space. The advantage of this method is isolation, which prevents the spread of diseases on the shelves, but the disadvantage is the high cost of the boxes themselves.

In packages

This method is somewhat reminiscent of the technology for cultivating oyster mushrooms with a slight difference: bags of compost for growing champignons are not tied or hung, but placed open on shelves. The batch method is characterized by well-known advantages: firstly, bags with used compost are quickly and easily replaced, and secondly, the infection does not spread beyond the boundaries of the bag. This method has only one drawback - the need to manually fill each bag with compost and seed it with mycelium.

On shelves

The so-called Dutch technology for growing champignons also involves the use of multi-tiered racks, but in this case the compost is poured directly onto shelves equipped with sides. The advantages of this method include the possibility of mechanization and space saving, while the disadvantages include the danger of spreading diseases throughout the entire shelf.

On the blocks

The easiest way to grow champignons, accessible even to a novice farmer, is to cultivate mushrooms on special briquettes, pressed from compost under industrial conditions and pre-contaminated with mycelium. Each block weighing 12–20 kg is hermetically sealed in polyethylene film, which allows them to be stored for 10–14 days and transported with minimal costs. The blocks are conveniently placed on racks, and when fruiting is completed they are easily disposed of.

On the beds

Using this technology, you can grow champignons in the open ground at your dacha. First, you need to find a well-shaded area with moist soil: small trenches are dug here and filled with compost. Then the resulting beds are sown with mycelium and covered with film to protect them from drying out. Unfortunately, in such conditions it is impossible to regulate microclimatic conditions and prevent the spread of infection, so the yield will most likely be low.

Preparing the premises

Considering the sensitivity of mushrooms to microclimate changes mentioned above, it is unlikely that it will be possible to create a mushroom farm in a city apartment or on a balcony. Therefore, at the initial stages of business development, it is more advisable to use other methods - for example, growing champignons in a greenhouse or in the basement of a private house, where it is easiest to maintain temperature and humidity at the proper level. You can also set up a farm in a barn or in any other insulated building: the main criterion for its suitability in this case will be the possibility of installing heating and ventilation devices here.

When organizing the production process, the room for growing champignons should be divided into four isolated zones:

1. Compost fermentation room;
2. Chamber for pasteurization of compost;
3. Mycelium incubation chamber;
4. Fruiting chamber.

When working with purchased compost, you can dispense with fermentation and pasteurization chambers. In addition, it is better to organize the work of a home farm using single-zone technology, in which temperature and humidity are regulated in each room independently, allowing them to be used sequentially for mycelium germination and fruiting.

The process of preparing the premises includes measures for its complete disinfection and disinfection. To do this you need:

• Fumigate the chambers with smoke sulfur bombs and then ventilate;
• Treat the walls and ceiling with lime mortar mixed with copper sulfate;
• If there are fungus flies, treat the room with chlorophos;
• Fill the floor with concrete to prevent increased air humidity and the entry of moles, rats, mice and insects into the room.

The conditions for growing champignon mushrooms involve monitoring and regulating the following microclimatic parameters:

• Illumination. Mushrooms do not need artificial or natural light, preferring darkness. Therefore, the number of lamps in the room is determined by the comfort of working with the beds: in most cases, 2–3 W per square meter is enough;
• Air exchange. The germination of mycelium and fruiting are accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide, which slows down the development of fungi, and the fermentation of compost is accompanied by the evaporation of ammonia. Therefore, growing champignons in the basement requires supply and exhaust ventilation, which allows not only to regulate the ratio of fresh and recirculated air, but also to heat or cool it if necessary, and also to filter it from insects, dust and spores. The fan power is selected at the rate of 5–6 full chamber volumes per hour;
• Temperature. Different temperature regimes are maintained in the incubation and fruiting zones: in general, the heating system should allow for the possibility of changing this parameter within the range of 13–26°C. To reduce heat loss and equalize the temperature throughout the chamber, the room must be sealed and thoroughly insulated. As for humidity, the control range here is between 65–95%.

Equipment

When compiling a list of equipment used for growing champignons, it should be taken into account that production processes are not limited to mycelium incubation and fruiting. Therefore, this list will have to include not only heating and ventilation devices, but also refrigeration chambers for temporary storage of crops, hand tools, and even transport for delivering products and raw materials.

To equip a farm located in a basement with an area of ​​80 m² and consisting of two chambers of 35 m² each, the following expenses must be included in the business plan for growing champignons:

Equipment list

Name	price, rub.	Quantity, pcs.	Amount, rub.
Climatic equipment
Fan, 700 m³/h	3700	4	14800
Fine filter	1200	2	2400
Humidifier, 35 m²	2500	2	5000
Water heating oven	16000	1	16000
Water heat exchanger radiator	4500	2	9000
Thermohygrometer	900	1	900
Air cooler	22000	2	44000
Ventilation and heating pipelines	–	–	8000
Electrical equipment
Lamp	400	8	3200
Wires and switches	–	–	5000
quartz lamp	3500	1	3500
Fly lamp	1000	2	2000
Irrigation equipment
Irrigation barrels 200 l	350	2	700
Hoses and sprayers	–	–	3000
Water pump	2000	1	2000
Auxiliary equipment
cooling chamber	13000	1	13000
Galvanized rack 2x1x0.8 m	5000	50	250000
Small scales	800	1	800
Garden wheelbarrow	1200	2	2400
Hand tool	–	–	2000
indicator paper	200	1	200
Car with thermal booth	190000	1	190000
Total:			577900

An entrepreneur who wants to prepare a substrate for growing champignons on his own will have to additionally purchase two fans for ventilating the pasteurization and fermentation chambers, a steam generator, and a straw cutter for grinding compost components.

Making compost

Initially, in the simplest methods of growing champignons, pure horse manure was used as compost. Over time, the number of horses decreased significantly, as a result of which farmers had to look for substitutes for this ingredient. Today, cattle manure or chicken manure is often used as such, adding chalk and gypsum to stabilize acidity.

Compost Recipes

Component	Composition 1	Composition 2	Composition 3
Horse manure, kg	2000	–	–
Cattle manure, kg	–	2000	–
Chicken manure, kg	–	–	1280
Wheat straw, kg	50	2000	2000
Urea, kg	5	50	10
Ammonium sulfate, kg	5	–	–
Superphosphate, kg	5	40	–
Chalk, kg	7,5	100	30
Gypsum, kg	30	170	120

In summer, an open area equipped with a canopy is used to prepare compost. In autumn and winter, this operation should be carried out in a fermentation chamber equipped with heating to maintain the temperature at 11–13 ° C and ventilation to remove ammonia vapors.

To ferment compost, well-moistened straw is mixed with manure and a pile 1.7–2 m high is formed. Over the course of a week, the temperature inside it rises and reaches 65–70°C. In order for all layers of compost to be involved in this biochemical process, every 4–5 days you need to re-pack it - mix the outer and inner layers, and then lay out the pile again. After 4-5 interruptions, fermentation ends. Next, the finished substrate needs to be pasteurized.

If appropriate equipment is available, the compost in boxes is placed in a sealed pasteurization chamber, where the air temperature is raised to 60–65°C using a steam generator, steaming the mixture for 3–4 hours. On small farms, the mixture is pasteurized differently: after the last beating, the pile is covered with film and left untouched until the smell of ammonia disappears. In 4–5 days, the compost independently warms up to the same 65°C, as a result of which all pathogenic spores and microorganisms die.

The finished substrate is laid out on shelves, in bags or in boxes, forming an even layer 20–30 cm thick. With a compost density of 500–600 kg/m³, one ton of the mixture is enough to fill 10 m² of shelf space.

Inoculation

Suppliers involved in the cultivation of champignon mycelium must be found in advance. If there are doubts about the quality of the product, it is advisable to carry out several test sowings to ensure the viability of the seed: haste at this stage can lead to damage to the entire batch of substrate and inevitable associated losses.

Inoculation is carried out after the compost has cooled to a temperature of 23–25°C. For a standard bed 20 cm high, the consumption rate of grain mycelium does not exceed 0.5 kg/m². Sowing is most often carried out using the nesting method: lumps of mycelium slightly smaller than a walnut are placed in holes 7–8 cm deep, dug in the compost in a checkerboard pattern with steps of 18–20 cm. Then, to maintain soil moisture at the proper level, the beds are covered with film or damp newspapers .

If all components are selected correctly and the temperature is maintained at 23–25°C, the substrate will be completely overgrown with mycelium in two weeks. At this stage, ventilation is turned on only to cool the air in the incubation chamber or to reduce humidity, since a high concentration of carbon dioxide contributes to the accelerated development of the mycelium.

Growing process

At the stage of mycelium germination through the casing soil, the temperature in the room is maintained at 23–24°C and humidity 90–93%. After 10–12 days, the filaments of the mycelium appear on the surface: at this moment, to stimulate the formation of primordia, the air is gradually cooled to 13–15°C and ventilation is turned on.

When the primordia reach the size of a pinhead, the humidity is reduced to 90–92%, and when they grow to the size of a pea, it is set at 85–87%. The beds are regularly watered with small portions of warm water at the rate of 0.8–1 liters per square meter per day. For these purposes, a drip irrigation system is best suited to avoid erosion and siltation of the soil, but you can also use a regular watering can.

Harvesting

On average, mushrooms reach maturity in 5–7 days. The climatic conditions in the fruiting chamber are maintained at the same level, providing high-quality ventilation: the concentration of carbon dioxide here should not exceed 500–800 ppm. When there is a lack of fresh air, mushrooms grow on long stalks with small caps, and when there is too much air, the skin of the fruit becomes chapped, forming scales.

The fruiting bodies of champignons are formed in waves: within 2–3 days, the entire surface of the beds is covered with growing young mushrooms, after which the activity of the mycelium decreases. The next wave appears in about a week; their total number can reach six or seven. However, on mushroom farms I use only the first four, since the share of the harvest from subsequent waves does not exceed 5–7%.

Champignon yield

A week	Harvest, kg/m²	Total yield, kg/m²
1	5,0–5,1	5,0–5,2
2	6,1–6,2	11,1–11,3
3	3,4–3,5	14,5–14,9
4	2,4–2,5	16,9–17,4
5	1,4–1,6	18,3–19,0
6	1,0–1,3	19,3–20,3

Champignons are collected exclusively by hand, carefully twisting each mushroom and sprinkling the hole with a covering mixture. After harvesting each wave, the surface of the bed is cleaned of the remains of fruiting bodies and fused lumps of mycelium, and at the end of fruiting, the substrate is disposed of and the chamber is disinfected.

Implementation

As a business, growing champignons at home is profitable only if the products are fully sold with minimal losses. Small quantities of mushrooms can be sold to friends or private buyers at the agricultural market, while selling a harvest of several tons requires significant effort aimed at establishing contacts with wholesale companies, such as:

• Retail stores and retail chains. Given the constant shortage of quality products, both small stores and large supermarkets are interested in placing champignons on the shelves. However, an entrepreneur not only has to spend time and resources on organizing logistics, but also incur losses associated with the return of unsold products. In addition, retail chains often set high fees for introducing an item into the assortment;
• Catering establishments. Restaurants, cafes and canteens at various institutions purchase mushrooms for cooking. This method is also quite labor-intensive, since you need to deliver the products to customers yourself, and the batch sizes do not exceed several tens of kilograms. Fortunately, when working with food service establishments, you don’t have to worry about returns or fees for adding a new item to the menu;
• Wholesale buyers. Many wholesale companies purchase agricultural products for subsequent resale. For an entrepreneur, this method is the most convenient, since such clients are not too demanding in terms of batch volumes and the availability of a full package of permits. The only drawback here is forced discounts: wholesalers are usually not interested in buying champignons at retail prices.

Investments

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Organizing the operation of a mushroom farm involves costs for purchasing equipment, repairing the basement, registering an enterprise and developing an information website for buyers.

Investments

Name	price, rub.	Qty	Amount, rub.
Pouring the floor with concrete	3530	8 m³	28240
Installation of partitions	800	20 m	16000
SPD registration	–	–	2000
Radiological examination protocol	4500	1 PC.	4500
Site development	10000	1 PC.	10000
Equipment	–	–	577900
Installation of equipment	–	–	10000
Total:			648640

Also, in the first cycle of growing champignons, it is necessary to purchase and bring compost, mycelium, firewood or coal for the stove, and chemicals for disinfecting the room. These costs will be repeated in subsequent cycles.

Cycle costs

Name	price, rub.	Qty	Amount, rub.
Compost	8000	16 t	128000
Grain mycelium, strain A15	180	80 kg	14400
Cover soil	1500	6.4 m³	9600
Delivery of compost and soil	–	–	7500
Lime	65	4 kg	260
fuels and lubricants	27	100 l	2700
Firewood for the stove	800	1.5 m³	1200
Sulfur checkers	120	10 pieces.	1200
Communal payments	4	2880 kW	11520
Certificate of conformity	3500	1 PC.	3500
Insurance payments for peasant farms or individual entrepreneurs	2300	2 months	4600
Total:			184480

Revenues and profitability

When calculating the profitability of a business growing champignons from scratch, the minimum yield value for four waves of fruiting will be used - 17 kg/m². Thus, from beds with a total area of ​​160 m², you can collect 2720 kg of mushrooms, the wholesale price of which will be 120–160 rubles/kg. The total income of the entrepreneur in this case will reach 380,800 rubles.

When calculating the payback period, it is necessary to take into account that the total costs of starting an enterprise will include not only the initial investment, but also the costs of the first cycle of growing champignons. Accordingly, at the start you will have to invest at least 833,120 rubles in a mushroom farm.

Economic indicators

The payback period of the enterprise will not exceed four and a half cycles, which, with an average duration of 2.5 months for each cycle, will be 11.3 months.

Conclusion

The business of growing champignons can hardly be called simple: the yield of a mushroom farm depends on careful adherence to recommendations at each stage. Therefore, a novice entrepreneur should start small - for example, buy several ready-made blocks, try to prepare compost yourself, select the correct climate parameters and ventilation intensity. As you accumulate knowledge, you can move on to larger-scale projects: the presence of practical experience in this case greatly increases the chances of success of the enterprise.
15 voted. Grade: 4,60 out of 5)

By choosing to grow champignons as a business, you are on the path to organizing your own profitable business. It will take a little effort from the owner to understand the basic technology of this production. We will tell you in this article what you need to know to open a mushroom business.

general information

Growing champignons as a business is a good opportunity to earn extra money. This business idea has a number of advantages:

• Growing this product does not require constant attention and presence. Your employment will be part-time.
• In most cases, growing oyster mushrooms and champignons does not require special knowledge and skills.
• The materials needed to organize production are, for the most part, quite simple. Anything that may be difficult to manufacture is recommended to be purchased ready-made.

Growing champignons as a business is a chance to start earning additional money. The key word here is “additional”. Since it is quite difficult to turn mushroom production into an independent source of income. Those who are just thinking about how to start this type of business should know a few main difficulties that they will have to face.

Where to begin?

The first step is to identify markets. To produce large volumes, you need to find a buyer for them, and preferably more than one. This will require concluding agreements with large companies, factories, and store chains. This in itself is quite problematic.

We will tell you in detail about how to grow champignons and oyster mushrooms. Perhaps some tips will help you understand this topic a little better.

Technology of growing oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms are considered one of the popular types of mushrooms for production. This is due to the fact that the technology for growing oyster mushrooms is one of the simplest. The mushroom grows both outdoors and indoors. If you plan to use the second option, then the harvest can be obtained all year round. For business, this method is best suited.

Equipment and materials

First you need to decide on the choice of premises. This could be a greenhouse, a special room, a barn, or a basement. The area must be dry and clean. It is recommended to treat the walls and floor with a bleach solution. This is necessary to disinfect the space. After this, ventilate the room well. One room will be needed for the germination of the mycelium, the other for the growth stage of the mushrooms.

After preparing the room, you need to make a substrate. Straw, sunflower husks, sawdust from non-coniferous trees, or mixtures of any of the above materials are perfect for this. They need to be well crushed (into dust) and pasteurized (that is, steamed with hot water and cooled).

Now the substrate needs to be placed in layers of bags (polyethylene). Between them is laid the mycelium of the fungus, which is purchased in specialized stores. Make holes in the bags, the diameter of which will be approximately 1.5-2 cm. Place them every 15-20 cm.

Climatic conditions

Place the bags in a closed, dark room. The air temperature in it should be approximately 22-25 degrees, humidity - about 95%. After 25-30 days, transfer the plastic bags to a second room, the temperature in which should be an order of magnitude lower - about 12-18 degrees.

The technology for growing oyster mushrooms requires that the room in which the bags will be kept for the second half of the time must be constantly ventilated and moistened. This is necessary to ensure that carbon dioxide does not accumulate in the room. In order not to resort to complex technologies, you can use a simple method. It is enough to place several buckets of water in the room and force the air to circulate using a regular fan.

As noted above, the air temperature should not exceed 18 degrees. Maintain humidity at 95%. The room must have lighting that works 12 hours a day. Fluorescent lamps are suitable for this.

Important! When working in a room with germinating mushrooms, wear a gauze bandage or a respirator. This is necessary to prevent oyster mushroom spores from entering the respiratory tract. They can cause severe coughing or allergic reactions. If you are engaged in the production of oyster mushrooms on a large scale, then the use of such protective equipment is mandatory!

Approximate calculations

The following guidelines can be used to create a manufacturing business plan. Oyster mushrooms are collected at the rate of 3 kg per 10 kg of substrate. You can get 1-2 harvests from one bag, after which its contents need to be replaced. The substrate is renewed approximately 4-5 times a year, that is, once every 2-3 months.

Experts say that one square meter of such a “plantation” can produce from 80 to 100 kg of mushrooms per year. As you can see, growing mushrooms at home like this is a simple and uncomplicated business. By starting small and acquiring a permanent market, you can increase the size of production.

Technology for growing champignons at home

The excellent taste properties and the ability to grow champignon at home have made it the most famous and widely consumed in the world. It is enough to familiarize yourself with the technology of its production in order to receive a harvest of fresh, selected and environmentally friendly mushrooms several times throughout the year.

Where to begin?

First you need to determine the room where you plan to grow champignons. A barn, greenhouse, basement, garage and even a balcony may be suitable for this. Like oyster mushrooms, champignons love high humidity, good ventilation and moderate temperatures. Light is an important condition, but not the main one. The best temperature for mushroom growth is from 12 to 20 degrees and air humidity in the range of 50-55%. For production you will need racks, plastic boxes for planting, fans and thermometers to monitor the temperature of the substrate and air.

Making compost

Experts recommend starting to grow mushrooms at home by making compost. Unlike oyster mushrooms, additional materials will be required here. Treat this issue responsibly, because nutritious soil for champignons is the key to a high yield. If it is prepared correctly, then you will get mushrooms in a volume of 20% of the compost volume.

Components

There are many formulas for preparing nutritious soil. But there are components whose presence in compost is mandatory. All mixtures are made from manure. Horse manure is considered the best, but manure from pigs, cows, birds and sheep will also be effective. The second required component is straw or hay. They must be fresh and unrotted.

In addition to the above materials, various fertilizers are added to the compost: beet or potato tops, sunflower husks, beer grains or other organic waste. In addition, a good mixture requires the presence of nitrogen-containing components. For example, urea or ammonium sulfate.

Additives such as bone meal, cotton processing waste, and bran would also be useful. The presence of mineral elements - gypsum, chalk or superphosphate - is mandatory. Here is one of the most common formulas: for 100 kg of horse manure you will need 2.5 kg of gypsum, 50 kg of winter straw (chopped) and 15 kg of dried manure.

Manufacturing process

During the production of nutrient soil, it is necessary to pasteurize it. First, the manure should be mixed with ground straw and left to ferment. During this process the mixture will warm up to 50-60 degrees. As soon as the desired temperature is reached, and this will take 4-6 days, it is necessary to reheat. This involves thoroughly mixing the mixture and adding nutrients to it.

Approximately 5-6 interruptions are required with a break between them of 2-5 days. All stages take approximately 20-25 days, after which a ready-made substrate for champignons is obtained. After the last mixing, the compost should be allowed to warm up to 60 degrees, and after the ammonia smell ceases to emanate from it, spread out in specially prepared boxes for mushrooms. As soon as the temperature of the compost drops to 24-25 degrees, mycelium is placed in it. The depth of its sowing should not be more than 10 cm.

Climatic conditions

During the germination period, an important point is to maintain sufficient air humidity and substrate temperature, which should not exceed 30 degrees. After planting the mycelium, the compost should be covered with newsprint or film. Regular moistening of the substrate is the basis for the full growth of mushrooms. But it does not need to be watered, but sprayed. In addition, do not forget to constantly moisten the walls and floor of the room to increase air humidity.

Gobtirovka

The production of champignons is divided into several stages: preparation of the substrate, planting the mycelium and hobting. The latter consists of pouring a layer of soil onto the compost, the thickness of which should not exceed 3-4 cm. It should be relatively loose, poor and have a neutral reaction. A mixture of peat and chalk or loamy soil is best. During this period, the substrate temperature should be within 20-22 degrees, and the air temperature - 13-16 degrees.

Harvesting

About 20 days after the last stage (gobting), it is time to harvest. It lasts from 1 month to two. Mushrooms appear in “waves,” and the compost must be watered after each one. Champignons are collected without the help of a knife, by hand. To do this, you need to carefully unscrew the mushroom. Harvest the entire crop, without any leftovers. This will quickly cause a new “wave” of growth and protect new mushrooms from attack by pests.

Once the harvest is complete, the compost should be removed and the racks and bins disinfected. In addition, throughout the entire stage of growing mushrooms, periodically treat the room with bleach or potassium permanganate solution. Pests and diseases love a humid environment and tend to multiply in it with a vengeance, and this will be detrimental to future champignons.

Business costs

According to various sources, the level of profitability of the business of growing champignons and oyster mushrooms ranges from 30 to 50%. This difference is explained by differences in production volumes, microclimatic parameters of the premises, transport costs, energy costs, as well as labor and material resources.

Before you engage in such a business on a large scale, evaluate the level of expenses. The direct costs of organizing your own production for growing mushrooms include the costs of purchasing manure, chicken manure, straw, mineral supplements (or purchasing ready-made compost).

This also includes expenses for the purchase of consumables: containers, plastic film, seed mycelium. In addition, you need to take into account the costs of fuel, lubricants, rent, electricity, utilities and employee payroll. This is not a complete list of expenses. Therefore, at the initial stages, you can limit yourself to small volumes, the production of which is easy to set up at home.

Finally

Having chosen to grow champignons as a business, you need to understand that this is a process that will require time and knowledge from you. But it is enough to do the procedure once in a small volume to understand the technique and gain experience. In the future, you will not think about how to grow champignons.

Business will allow you not only to earn extra money, but also to enjoy the production process itself. With the right approach, you can get from 10 to 15 kg of mushrooms from 1 square meter of substrate. It is profitable to sell champignons and oyster mushrooms in winter and spring, when the demand for this product is especially high.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

RUB 1,249,000

Minimum starting capital

4 months

Payback

270,000 ₽

Net profit

How to create a mushroom farm for growing champignons

Objective of the project– creation of a mushroom farm for growing bisporus champignons for the purpose of their subsequent sale in raw form in the Krasnodar Territory and the city of Krasnodar. A satellite growing system was chosen as a business idea, the essence of which is the production and collection of champignons without the equipment of a compost workshop. Compost for champignons is purchased ready-made from a specialized company in the volumes required for production. Thanks to this, the volume of initial capital investments is reduced and time resources are saved. The enterprise has a small format. Productivity per year is up to 17 tons of mushrooms per year.

low level of initial capital investment;

Financial calculations for the project were made for an enterprise that included 6 chambers with a total growing area of ​​570 sq. m. meters. The production cycle lasts about 60-63 days. The production technology is based on the implementation of three main stages: purchase and delivery of phase 2 compost, mycelium germination, mushroom picking. Next, the harvest is sold in small wholesale to retail chains in the city of Krasnodar and at its own retail outlet in the grocery market.

The cost of the project will be 1,249,000 rubles. For implementation, it is planned to attract borrowed funds in the amount of 700,000 rubles. The loan term is 24 months. Interest rate - 22%. Deferred payment of the first installment – ​​3 months.

*for 4 months of work

The preparatory period, including repairs and equipment of the premises, will take 4 months. Reaching the planned sales volume – 3 months.

Profitability of growing champignons

Champignons are one of the most popular cultivated mushrooms in the world. They account for about 75-80% of all cultivated mushrooms. The market for cultivated mushrooms in Russia cannot be called developed - before the embargo was introduced in August 2014, imports significantly exceeded domestic production (92% versus 8%). However, the departure of imported manufacturers and the devaluation of the ruble with a subsequent increase in product prices spurred domestic production, which over the six months of 2015, according to various sources, grew from 15 to 22%.

Despite the reduction in imports (according to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, over 6 months of 2014 the amount of foreign products decreased by 24%), there is a shortage of mushroom products on the Russian market. These factors contribute to starting your own business.

The goal of the project is to open a mushroom farm for growing champignons in the Krasnodar region, with a productivity of up to 17 tons of mushrooms per year. The company is a farm in a village located 5 km from the border of the city of Krasnodar. The production is located in its own premises with an area of ​​320 square meters. meters, previously used as a warehouse. The mushroom farm has 6 growing chambers.

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A distinctive feature of the production is working with ready-made compost (phase 2), which is purchased from a specialized company in Krasnodar. Compost is delivered in the form of briquettes. In this regard, the enterprise does not need its own composting workshop, which somewhat simplifies the production procedure.

The main advantages of a mushroom farm using ready-made compost are:

lower level of initial capital investment;

minimal risks of loss of yield;

simplification of the production process.

The company's staff consists of 5 people, including a technologist, a sales manager, an accountant, a salesperson and a mushroom picker. The enterprise management structure is simple. At the head of the business is the director of the enterprise, to whom the rest of the employees report directly. Form of ownership - individual entrepreneur with a simplified taxation system (6% of income received).

How to find a market for selling champignons

The company's produced and sold product is the champignon mushroom, which is considered one of the most cultivated mushrooms in the world. Champignon has a wonderful taste, is used in many dishes and has a number of beneficial properties. Champignons are stewed, fried, boiled, pickled, added to first and second courses and salads.

80% of the mushroom consists of water. Another 20% are vitamins, minerals and organic acids. Champignons are rich in phosphorus, the content of which is close to that of fish. Due to their low calorie content, champignons are considered a dietary product, and due to the absence of sugar, they can be consumed by people with diabetes. Substances contained in champignons reduce cholesterol levels and prevent the development of tumors. Also, consuming these mushrooms reduces the likelihood of a heart attack and prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

Due to their well-known nature and taste properties, the demand for champignons in Russia is constant. Mushrooms are sold both fresh, dried and canned. This project proposes the sale of exclusively fresh products (morning collection, cooling).

The products do not require any special pre-sale preparation, including only standard procedures (washing). Transportation is carried out in ordinary boxes with a capacity of 3-5 kg.

Champignons are an environmentally friendly product, for the production of which no chemicals are used. Since growing champignons requires compost, the issue of disposal of production waste is the removal of used compost. For every ton of phase 2 compost loaded into the growing chamber, about 600-650 waste compost remains at the end of the period. However, spent champignon compost can serve as a good fertilizer for gardeners and gardeners and serve as an additional source of income.

Marketing and sales of raw champignons

Raw champignons are in demand among a large category of the population who prepare their own food. Housewives choose them purposefully for preparing first or second courses, quite often choosing mushrooms by size. The key requirements for these mushrooms are simple, but extremely comprehensive - freshness and quality. However, such products cannot always be found in stores or markets. According to a survey conducted by the School of Mushroom Growing magazine in collaboration with the Department of Mycology and Algology of Moscow State University, 17% of respondents do not buy mushrooms because they are not satisfied with the quality, and also because they are simply not on the shelves at the time of visiting the store.

Poor-quality stale champignons may have a grayish color, dark spots on the caps, and damaged film. An indicator of a low-quality mushroom can also be its consistency, which can resemble a sponge and weak elasticity. In addition, the spoiled product has a weak or unpleasant odor.

Ready ideas for your business

A high-quality champignon is distinguished by a white, slightly pinkish or soft beige color, a matte cap without spots. The mushroom film is either whole (in small champignons) or with tears (in large and medium ones). The smell of this mushroom is pleasant, and the mushroom feels elastic and dense to the touch. The production process will be aimed specifically at creating high-quality champignons.

Both small family farms and large enterprises sell champignons in Krasnodar. The price of raw products in the city varies from 80 rubles. (wholesale) up to 255 rub. per kilogram and averages 170 rubles. per kilogram. As a competitive advantage, at the initial stage it is planned to sell mushrooms at a price of 160 rubles. per kilogram.

If we characterize the situation on the Russian mushroom market as a whole, we can note trends that contribute to starting your own business. According to the magazine “School of Mushroom Growing”, in the first half of 2015, the volume of production of cultivated mushrooms in Russia increased by 15% compared to the same period in 2014. The production volume of champignons reached 4,720 tons, an increase of 606 tons.

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The growth of the market was facilitated by factors such as the fact that products were subject to an embargo (the import of fresh mushrooms from EU countries was prohibited), and as a result, a reduction in imports, as well as the devaluation of the ruble. Thanks to the current situation, manufacturers were able to increase production capacity and also raise selling prices. In particular, prices for champignons increased by an average of 35% compared to the first half of 2014.

At the initial stage, it is planned to sell the manufactured goods at our own retail outlet on the Krasnodar market, as well as in small wholesale. Refrigeration equipment is used to maintain freshness. The product does not need any large-scale advertising campaigns. It is planned to attract wholesale buyers using free advertisements on the Internet, as well as through our own connections. Delivery of products to the place of sale is organized using our own transport (cargo van).

Champignon production plan

The mushroom farm has a good location, located 5 km from the city of Krasnodar, where the products are sold. The main compost supplier is located within an hour's reach from the enterprise, with whom a supply agreement has been concluded.

Mushroom production technology includes several main stages. Due to the fact that ready-made compost is purchased, compost production is completely absent from the production cycle.

At the first stage Pasteurized compost (phase 2), seeded with mycelium and containing microelements necessary for mushroom growth, is purchased from a specialized company. The compost is packaged in a special shrink film and is a rectangular block weighing 20 kg. The mycelium itself, located in the block, is at an early stage of overgrowth. Compost delivery is organized within 24 hours to avoid the negative effects of temperature and external factors. The purchased batch of compost must correspond to the area of ​​the germination chamber.

Second phase implies fruit formation. A rack system is used to grow champignons. Mushroom blocks are stacked horizontally. The film is cut off from the top of the briquette, and the side parts are lowered to the bottom to provide a single compost space. The film at the bottom of the briquette ensures the preservation of moisture necessary to obtain a high yield. The temperature required for germination is maintained in the chamber.

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At the third stage Fruiting and mushroom picking occurs. The harvest time after filling the chambers with phase 2 compost is about 35 days. Low yield is considered to be 130-160 kg/t. The average yield is about 160-190 kg/t, good and high 190-230 kg/t and from 230 kg/t, respectively. The temperature at the mushroom picking stage should be 17-18°C.

Collection is carried out daily or with short breaks between waves. The fruiting bodies are not cut off, but twisted out, then the remains of the root stalk are cut off. The collection process takes place while wearing gloves. For storage after harvesting, the crop is placed in a refrigerator. The quality of mushrooms and their shelf life are determined by their dry matter content, which is about 7-8%. If these indicators are exceeded, the mushrooms will be watery, and the shelf life will not exceed 2 days.

The total area of ​​the mushroom farm is 320 square meters. meters. To obtain a regular harvest (at least 18-20 times a month), it is necessary to create 6 chambers with a total area of ​​288 square meters. meters (48 sq. meters each), since in this case it is possible to harvest from different chambers located at different waves of fruiting. In this case, the chamber is loaded with phase 2 compost every 10 days. An approximate schedule of work on a farm with 6 growing chambers is presented in Table. 1.

Table 1. Work schedule on the farm with three growing chambers

The costs of cleaning the premises, repairs, thermal insulation, dividing into growing chambers, as well as providing the necessary communications (light, water, heating) will amount to 579 thousand rubles.

The cost of equipping the premises (purchase and installation) will amount to 470 thousand rubles. To grow champignons, you will definitely need to equip the room with a ventilation and air conditioning system. This must be done in order to regulate the air temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide content in the chambers. It will also be necessary to equip the building with a cooling, heating, automatic climate control system, electrical and water supply systems, refrigeration chambers and 5-tier shelving. To reduce costs, it was decided to give preference to equipment that was partially used, but of good quality.

To ensure the operation of the enterprise, you will need 1 manager, whose role will be the owner and founder of the company. To ensure the production process, you will need 1 technologist, 2 mushroom pickers, a laborer, as well as a seller for your own outlet in the market. The staffing table and payroll are given in Table. 3

Table 3. Staffing and wage fund

Considering the use of 5-tier racks, the total growing area will be about 570 square meters. meters. In order to grow champignons in such an area you will need about 48 tons of compost. Compost weighing 8 tons is purchased once every 9 days in 20 kg briquettes (400 briquettes per batch), wrapped in shrink film. The cost per ton of compost is 9 thousand rubles. The cultivation rate, subject to the required standards, is 25-35%. The total production volume will be 12-16.8 tons per production cycle and 72-100 tons per year. Thus, 200 kg of mushrooms will be sold per day. Compost delivery is organized by a private carrier. The delivery time of compost to the mushroom farm is 45 min-70 min. The cost of delivery services is 500 rubles/hour.

As a result, the costs of the main period are based on wages to employees (102.7 thousand people), purchase of consumables, rent of a retail outlet on the market (8 thousand rubles per month), payment for compost delivery services (500 rubles per month). /hour), payment for housing and communal services, fuel and lubricants.

Organizational plan for growing champignons

The project implementation period will be 4 months. It is planned to complete repairs, redevelopment, and thermal insulation of the premises within 2.5 months. Another 1.5 months will be required to install the air conditioning and ventilation system and equip it with other equipment.

Direct management and management of the project is carried out by the owner, who solves the main strategic functions, combining his responsibilities with the functions of a sales manager. Daily operation is supported by 2 employees involved in collection and storage, a technologist, and a general worker who is also involved in loading and delivering mushrooms to the point of sale.

Financial plan for champignon production

The costs of the preparatory period required for equipment and repairs will amount to RUB 1,049,000. Taking into account working capital, the cost of the project will be 1,249,000 rubles. For implementation, it is planned to attract borrowed funds in the amount of 700,000 rubles. The loan term is 24 months. Interest rate - 22%. Deferred payment of the first installment – ​​3 months.

The financial indicators of the project - revenue, cash flow, net profit - are given in Appendix 1. Calculations are made based on the planned sales volume of 7.3 tons of mushrooms per month.

Assessment of the efficiency of growing champignons

The project to open a mushroom farm is characterized by a high level of efficiency, which is confirmed by the indicators given in Table. 4. The payback period of the project will be 7 months. The discounted payback period is 8 months. Net profit of 270 thousand rubles. upon reaching the planned volume, it is guaranteed for 3 months. work.

Table 4. Project performance indicators

Risks and guarantees of a mushroom farm

The project to open a mushroom farm for growing champignons is a well-developed type of business, and therefore the risks of implementing the business idea are minimal. Their reduction is also influenced by the presence of premises in the property, positioning of products in the middle price segment (160 rubles per kg of fresh champignons), and favorable market conditions. However, in the course of its activities, an enterprise may encounter some predictable and unpredictable circumstances, the assessment of which is presented in Table. 5.

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