Cultivating morels in Australia

Morels mushrooms are tough to grow. People have been trying for centuries. This is one of the world's favourite wild mushrooms with the Northern Hemisphere market estimated at $1-2 billion annually.

Recent advances in knowledge and technology have created the opportunity to farm morel mushrooms seasonally outdoors. The success has come from China - the world's largest mushroom producer and consumer. The most successful producer in China has now licensed his expertise to France, U.S.A. and Australia. Sub-licenses are being issued in France and the U.S.A. to growers. 

In Australia, the Great Australian Mushroom Company has succeeded in producing the first commercial crop of morels in the Southern hemisphere at Healesville, Victoria. These morels were grown outdoors in shade houses and produced a crop from August to October - off season to the Northern hemisphere and precisely the time when prices on the international market spike. 

The morel mushroom has an interesting life cycle and it's not easy to create the right conditions for them to develop into mature fruit bodies. 

We hope to share what we have learned under license with interested farmers to generate a boutique industry in Australia and open doors for international trade.

Image shot by @fungiifind

Feedback from @Yarravalleynative

"Each deserving of its own plinth, but instead we tossed the lot into a pan with a burnt-butter sauce. Flavour was fierce and made a dazzling dinner👌🏽👌🏽"
#FungiBoss #MorelMushrooms