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Building a modern mushroom farm through IPARD

Monte Plod mushroom farm is located in Novo Selo, near Danilovgrad. It’s a busy morning at the factory. Mushroom harvesting is in progress. Smiling female workers greet us and point out that they are not tired. Their work was made easier by the modernization of operations through the EU’s IPARD programme.
However, the harvest was preceded by a lot of work.
“First the compost is brought in and then we cover with peat. After seven days, we start tilling. When we till the compost, we “suffocate” the space, increase the carbon dioxide so that the mycelium (seed) connects. Then we reduce the temperature for the next seven days. Seven to ten days later, we expect to start the harvest,” factory owner Darko Brnović explains the production process.
What used to be a small farm for the production of mushrooms now has about a dozen workers and produces 500 kilograms of champignons a day. Thanks to EU support through the IPARD programme, Darko has modernized its operations and plans to expand its production to about a ton of mushrooms per day. EU Ambassador Oana Cristina Popa visited the mushroom farm and met this family that benefited from the EU support.
“This region, with its fertile soil and abundant sunshine, is ideal for the production of healthy food. As I myself am a big fan of domestic products, it was a great pleasure for me today to see where the delicious vegetables that are on my table are being grown,” pointed out Ambassador Popa.
This hard-working family intends to expand the business and turn used mushroom compost into flower fertilizer. They continue to count on the support of the EU, and through the new IPARD call they plan to obtain the funds needed for the new production line.

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