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Abstract: The South African mushroom industry produces approximately 15 000 metric tonnes of Agaricus bisporus per annum. Limited quantities of Pleurotus spp. and Lentinus edodes are produced. CPC-Tongaat group of companies is the major producer of A. bisporus and takes approximately 50% of the market share. The remainder is produced by more or less eighteen farms owned by private growers. Eighty three percent of the total mushroom production is sold fresh and 17% canned. Mushrooms are exported fresh and/or canned to Israel, Mauritius and various African countries. Growing systems implemented in this country vary from the bag-, tray- to the Dutch shelf system, with production capacity varying between 1 tonne and 80 tonnes per week. The degree of mechanization varies from operations where filling, spawning and casing are done by hand, to highly sophisticated and computer controlled. Spawn is produced locally under licence of Sylvan Pilz in Switzerland. Some growers, however, import spawn mostly from the European market. The major source of casing medium is local reed sedge peat mixed with limestone, although a few growers use imported Sphagnum peat.
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