A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE HIGH FIVE: AGARICUS, PLEUROTUS, LENTINULA, AURICULARIA & FLAMMULINA

World production and consumption of mushrooms has increased at a rapid rate, especially since the mid 1990s. Not only has production and consumption increased as the world’s population has increased, but per capita consumption of mushrooms has increased as well. Over a 15-year period (1997 to 2012), per capita consumption of mushrooms increased from about 1 kg/year to over 4 kg/year. China is the main producer and consumer of mushrooms. The demand for mushrooms has been phenomenal – production to meet the growing demand is a performance seldom duplicated in agriculture today.