%0 Journal Article %A Davis, Jan %D 2000 %I Begell House %N 1 %P 3 %R 10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i1.100 %T The Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms Industry in Australia %U https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/708ae68d64b17c52,684673684ea939cb,73b4643d73a5aa08.html %V 2 %X In 1998-1999, Australian production of cultivated edible and medicinal mushrooms was estimated to be 49,040 tonnes. Twenty companies are responsible for 75% of Australia's Agaricus spp. Mushroom production, with seven companies producing 50% of the total. The mushroom industry is very labor intensive and directly employs an estimated 2500 people throughout Australia. Import of edible and medicinal mushrooms in Australia has fallen from approximately 50% of the market in the mid-1970s to less than 9% in 1998-1999. Small quantities of mushroom product are exported from Australia, mainly to markets in Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Australian annual per capita consumption of edible and medicinal mushrooms jumped from 0.65 kg in 1974 to approximately 2.91 kg in 1998-1999. %8 2000-03-01