Mushroom cultivation is big business and growing. This year output is expected to be around USD 16 billion, reaching $20 billion in 2025. Currently, it is a labour intensive business with staffing accounting for around a third of production costs, mostly pickers working inside the mushroom growing sheds, where the atmosphere is perfect for mushrooms but not ideal for people, working in cramped conditions between the racks of growing trays, with awkward, repetitive actions.
A new generation of mushroom production facilities, developed by Panbo Systems and a little help from FIN Framework, will be able to address this issue. Panbo will be using robotics and hi-tech control systems to move pickers out of the growing areas and by doing so, increasing their productivity by over 300 per cent. At the heart of the new systems controlling the environment and monitoring mushroom growth is J2 Innovations’ FIN Framework, supplied to Panbo by OEM partner Air-TraXX under their Smart-TraXX brand.
Mushroom growing rooms need to have the temperature, humidity and CO2 gas concentrations adjusted during different stages of the growing cycle. This is handled by cameras monitoring the mushroom growth and controllers operating the HVAC systems. Both feed into FIN Framework software, which manages the atmosphere adjustments, databases and visualization.
Edible mushrooms are consumed worldwide as valuable protein and energy sources and are considered healthy foods, being both low in calories and fat, and rich in proteins, minerals and dietary fiber. Bringing mushroom trays out to pickers now in a better environment makes for a happier and healthier workforce, who can pick more mushrooms per hour, moving typically from 30 kg per hour to 130 kg per hour, saving a third on costs when coupled with robots moving the trays around.
A prototype plant, complete with FIN Framework, has now completed its proving period and the first full scale partner farm is under construction.
J2 Innovations Headquarters, 535 Anton Blvd, Suite 1200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA. Tel: 909-217-7040
