New mushroom venture applauded

  • Jim Anderton
Agriculture

An innovative new mushroom crop is an example of a successful partnership between a Crown research institute and the private sector, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jim Anderton said today.

The Saffron, or saffron milk cap mushroom as it is called in Europe, is an edible mushroom developed to grow in pine forests. Its development is a collaboration between First Light Mushrooms and Crop and Food Research.

Jim Anderton told a function in Gisborne celebrating the first harvest of the new edible mushroom that the development of the Saffron mushroom as a commercial crop was potentially highly lucrative for New Zealand.

“Forest-grown mushrooms are highly-prized internationally as a gourmet crop. Saffron milk caps are mainly gathered from the wild in Europe and Australia, so being able to cultivate them under pine forest is a huge international breakthrough.

“The horticulture industry in New Zealand has a history of innovation in developing new species and varieties of fruit, vegetables, and fungi and finding new ways to market previously exotic species and varieties. This is just another demonstration of that.”

Jim Anderton with director Sheldon Drummond at the launch of the new light mushroom in Gisborne. May 2008

Jim Anderton commended Crop and Food and First Light Mushrooms for investing in the potential of the new crop.

“I’m told that about $10 million has been invested over the past six years to achieve this breakthrough. I’m confident that investment will be repaid many times over.

“I’m optimistic that in the future, we will see more of these types of developments when the New Zealand Fast Forward fund is operational. This fund will see $2 billion invested in food and pastoral sector innovation.”

Jim Anderton said New Zealand's horticulture industry recorded its highest-ever annual returns last year, with figures published this week showing fruit, vegetables, wine and flowers earned a combined $5.2 billion in the year to June 2007. In 2006 the industry earned $4.8b.

The figures confirm continued growth in the sector, which has increased overall returns every year since 1980.

HortResearch and industry analysts Martech Consulting found export returns for 2007 topped $2.67b (fob), up from $2.36b in 2006. Returns from the domestic market were estimated at $2.56b, compared with $2.5b in 2006.

Jim Anderton said horticulture was an industry that works hard to produce high-quality, high-value food, and at the same time, strives to be innovative with new products.

“Today, I’d like to commend Crop and Food Research and First Light Mushrooms for their determination and innovation.”