Morocco: mushrooms

Pilot mushroom production unit in Morocco

 

• Project location: Rabat - Meknes, Morocco
• Consortium: Panbo Systems BV, KWIKS Champis SARL
• Project budget: Euro 1.5 million
• External financing: 50% grant funding by PSOM
• Project period: January 2008 - September 2009

 

Abstract

The Moroccan mushroom supply company KWIKS Champis S.a.r.l and Panbo Systems in the Netherlands have identified a way in which commercial mushroom cultivation under the prevailing Moroccan conditions could become feasible. The objective of the PSOM-funded pilot project is to test and learn from the proposed business concept. The start of the high-input, high-output production system is made feasible through the import of mycelium-enriched substrate from the Netherlands. By the end of the project KWIKS Champis will be able to supply the Moroccan retail and restaurant/hotel sectors with a year-round supply of domestically produced fresh mushrooms (weekly supply of around 7000 kg). The outcome of the project will give KWIKS Champis the financial basis and experience to invest in the further expansion of its production capacity and eventually also the establishment of a compost production company.

Upon the formalisation of the business arrangements and production licensing, the mushroom production unit will be established. The proposed mushroom production unit will consist of a hall with six production rooms (each with 260 m2 cultivation area), a control room (for climate control equipment and water supply), a store room and workers’ facilities. Production rooms will be equipped with growing beds and climate control equipment. A growing cycle in one cultivation room will take six weeks. Hence each week one cell will be put into production to ensure a constant supply of mushrooms. Panbo Systems will facilitate the start up of the KWIKS Champis production units. Panbo Systems has broad international experience with the design, technical support and implementation of turn-key projects in the commercial mushrooms sector and will train and advise management and staff of the company throughout the project cycle and the years following project completion. Panbo and the owners of KWIKS Champis will jointly invest in the establishment of the company. KWIKS Champis is already engaged in the trade and distribution of fresh mushrooms and has broad knowledge and networks in the food and retail sectors in Morocco.

At the end of the project, mushroom production operations will have created 32 new jobs; this number is expected to increase to 43 in the two years following project completion. Upon the successful completion of the PSOM pilot, investments in the establishment of more production units will lead to the creation of more jobs and income opportunities in rural areas of Morocco. In due time the partners also intend to develop the first Moroccan compost production facility which will supply not only their own mushroom production farms, but also those of other interested growers in Morocco.

 

For more information on Panbo Systems BV, please refer to www.panbo.nl.