mushrooms

Mushrooms Gaining Popularity

Dan Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours

Mushrooms are having their moment in the spotlight. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.

mushrooms
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

The global mushroom market size is expected to grow by $18.78 billion between 2020 and 2025 according to a new report. One of the key factors driving growth in the mushroom market is the medicinal values associated with mushrooms.

Mushrooms are considered a superfood, are high in antioxidants, and contain selenium, which is a mineral that is not present in most vegetables. This mineral plays a vital role in liver enzyme function and aids in combating cancer by detoxifying cancer-triggering compounds in the body. It also decreases tumor growth and prevents inflammation.

There are some challenges for the mushroom market, however. Supply chain problems and labor shortages are major challenges for this market. This labor shortage existed prior to 2020, which the pandemic shutdown has compounded. The US food supply chain challenges were caused due to an increase in the demand for mushrooms during the post-pandemic era but the shortage in the supply of mushrooms has made it worse.

Listen to Sabrina Halvorson’s This Land of Ours program here.

Mushrooms Gaining Popularity

Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.

Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.