Mushroom Industry.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 May 2005

Thursday, 12 May 2005

Questions (153)

Pat Breen

Question:

153 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of registered mushroom growers in Ireland in 2002, 2003 and 2004;and the number of growers who have gone out of business in the first three months of 2005. [15753/05]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mary Coughlan)

The numbers of mushroom growers in the past three years were: 2002, 365 growers; 2003, 289 growers; and 2004, 228 growers.

There is no registration requirement for mushroom growers. A Teagasc survey carried out in February indicated that there were 201 active growers in the country. The fall in grower numbers indicates that the mushroom industry continues to consolidate around operations with increasing scale and efficiency.