Published: Wednesday, 18th August, 2010 5:00pm

Business mushrooming with €12m investment

Minister Brendan Smith with Ronnie Wilson, founder and CEO of Monaghan Mushrooms.

The new Tyholland Mushrooms and Monaghan Mushrooms Research and Development Centre will generate 150 jobs and have an output of 115 tonnes a week, most of which will be exported to the UK.

Minister Brendan Smith officially opened the facility on Monday and said: "This business [mushrooms] has been one of the success stories of Irish agriculture. It's worth something over €100m per year, and over 70% of that production is exported.

"Mushroom growers have always been quick to innovate and adapt to change. There has always been close collaboration between researchers and growers, and a significant number of growers are early adopters of technology. Businesses need their own research and development so they are not on the back foot, responding to change after it has happened. Far better to be in a position to identify trends as they emerge and prepare for them, and ultimately to anticipate and even direct the course of the industry."

That is why a dedicated research centre is so important, said the minister. Already Monaghan Mushrooms are involved in a number of research projects with academic establishments around the country. The topics are diverse, ranging from early detection of disease to production of biofuels to cool chain management of the final product.

"On behalf of everyone here today I'd like to wish Monaghan Mushrooms every success with their two new ventures - Tyholland Mushrooms and the Research and Development Centre," Minister Smith concluded.

Other Oireachtas members also welcomed the new venture. Senator Joe O'Reilly said: "This is fantastic news for the people of Monaghan and the neighbouring counties, including Cavan, at a time of economic hardship. It is a major boost for the region in terms of growth and recovery and I must take this opportunity to congratulate everyone involved in making it a reality. Ronnie Wilson, a Monaghan native, founder and CEO of the Monaghan Mushrooms Company must be given a great deal of credit for all he has done for the area, in creating employment and boosting the local economy."

Fianna Fáil TD Margaret Conlon agreed that is was good news for Monaghan Mushrooms and for County Monaghan and extended "warmest congratulations to Ronnie Wilson. His entrepreneurial spirit really is to be commended. I understand that the new mushroom growing facility is made up of 18 individual mushroom growing houses and will have an output of 115 tonnes of mushrooms per week, most of which will be exported to the UK. The creation of up to 150 jobs at this facility is very welcome indeed and I want to wish Mr Wilson and his team continued success into the future," concluded Ms Conlon.