Mushroom production in Ukraine approaches pre-war levels

Mushroom production in Ukraine is gradually recovering after declining at the beginning of the full-scale war. According to Mushroom Growing News, Ukrainian producers harvested around 50–60 thsd tons of mushrooms in 2025, compared with more than 60 thsd tons in 2020. Despite the closure of some farms, the industry has retained most of its production capacity, while several businesses have even expanded their operations.

As of early 2026, Ukraine had approximately 152 mushroom farms in operation. Of these, 34 farms produce more than 1 thsd tons of mushrooms annually, 78 produce between 100 and 1,000 tons, and around 40 smaller farms produce between 5 and 100 tons. Some producers, mainly in western Ukraine, have built additional growing chambers, upgraded equipment, and introduced automation into their production processes.

The industry’s main challenges remain high electricity costs, labor shortages, and the need to maintain stable climate conditions in mushroom-growing facilities. Labor shortages are encouraging producers to invest more actively in automation. According to Mushroom Growing News editor Inna Ustylovska, some physically demanding tasks previously performed by men are now being carried out by women, further encouraging investment in mechanization.

Ukrainian producers primarily supply the domestic market, although small but regular shipments of fresh mushrooms are exported to Poland, mainly from western regions. Meanwhile, Ukraine imports limited volumes of button mushrooms from Poland and small quantities of exotic mushrooms, primarily supplied by China and South Korea. The exotic mushroom segment remains relatively small in both Ukraine and the broader European market.

One of the industry’s main structural constraints is the declining number of compost producers supplying mushroom farms. Currently, only two companies remain operational: Agaris, with facilities in Ternopil and Cherkasy regions, and Svit Solomy in Mykolaiv region. Mushroom growers are considering joint investments in their own compost production facilities, but none of these projects has been implemented so far. Further industry recovery will depend on access to energy, labor availability, and the development of domestic raw material supplies.

Tags: Ukraine