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The Moorabool News – 21 December, 2021 Page 7
More room for mushies By Lachlan Ellis A nursery rhyme asks Mary “how does your garden grow”? She replies, “with silver bells, and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row”. But that is not how you grow mushrooms. Minister for Regional Development Mary-Anne Thomas visited Parwan Valley Mushrooms last Wednesday, to announce funding through the Agriculture Resilience and Recovery Program and, saw exactly how they are grown. Stacked in warehouse style floor to ceiling dirt box shelving, the mushrooms are prolific when coupled with darkened indoor temperature-controlled humidity and a special compost. There are 12-rooms altogether with each room producing around 25 tonne over six weeks, equating to 50 tonne per week. The Moorabool mushroom grower will benefit from the State Government support, allowing it to automate part of its operations and expand its facility. Representing Council, Moorabool’s Deputy Mayor Cr Tonia Dudzik said they’re very pleased the State Government has provided the grant funding. “This funding will provide for operational improvements to support the continued operation and growth of Parwan Valley Mushrooms.” Cr Dudzik also said the Parwan Employment Precinct will provide for a range of industrial, agri-business, and aviation land uses, and build on a number of successful existing business within the precinct, such as Parwan Valley Mushrooms. “Once complete, the proposed new precinct is expected to create 1,500 full time jobs, which is amazing for the Shire,” she said. A joint venture between Mecrus Pty Ltd and Perfection Fresh Australia, Parwan Valley Mushrooms processes up to 50 metric tonnes of mushrooms a week – four per cent of the Australian market, with 30 per cent of their produce sold to a large supermarket chain. It is located within the Parwan Employment Precinct, a
Minister Mary-Anne Thomas and Managing Director Barry Richards, with a 4kg box of cap mushrooms from the Parwan Valley Mushroom farm. 2880-hectare site designed to boost local agriculture and agribusiness, that is expected to create up to 1500 full-time jobs over six years. Ms Thomas said the investment was timely, with the COVID pandemic highlighting how important domestic food production is. “One thing that COVID taught us, is that all nations needed to look at what they could and could not do within their own borders. It was a wake-up call to what we could produce, because all our supply chains were disrupted,” Ms Thomas said. “Here in Victoria, we are in an enviable position as a net
exporter of our primary produce, but we need to keep it that way. We need to do all we can to continue to grow agriculture, so that we can continue Victoria’s very important role in feeding the world. “Through the Agriculture Resilience and Recovery Program, we have been able to support Parwan Valley Mushrooms to purchase new high-tech automated equipment that will help manage the workforce in a more COVID-safe way, ensuring workers are distributed effectively. It’s also about investing in technology that takes out some of the more labour-intensive roles, allowing the workforce to be used in other areas that require more human capital.” Minister Thomas was asked by the Moorabool News about the still possible threat of toxic tunnel spoil coming to Bacchus Marsh. “The decision has been made for the soil to be stored safely and securely at Bulla,” she responded. Mecrus Managing Director, Barry Richards, said the funding would help the business adapt to new developments in the mushroom market, and add extra COVID safety. “The grant we’re getting is contributing towards an expansion on our pre-packing here predominantly. When we started the farm almost 10 years ago, we didn’t plan to do any pre-packing. But the world is changing, and we need to keep up with that,” he said. “We now do 40 per cent of our production into pre-pack. There are 106 employees here that are all full-time, and that’s been one of our company philosophies – that our people are full-time employees and part of our family business.” The white cup mushrooms are grown locally, whilst the swiss brown variety are grown at Avernel, and the strawberries in glasshouses in Gippsland. Minister Thomas was joined for a tour of the facility by local State MPs Steve McGhie (Melton) and Michaela Settle (Buninyong), alongside Moorabool Councillors Tonia Dudzik, Ally Munari and Moira Berry. Earlier this year, the Parwan Employment Precinct received $2.7 million from the State Government’s Building Works package for a city gate gas connection.
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