Casing soil for industrial mushroom production
80% less peat
100% performance
CORMO develops a Miscanthus-based casing soil that mushroom farms can use just like conventional peat casing.
Discover CORMO Casing Soil- 80% less peatthan conventional casing soil
- Equal performancein yield and quality
- No changeoverof equipment or processes
- 32% less CO₂*in the mushroom producer’s operation
*Calculation by CORMO AG for the user’s mushroom production after a complete switch to CORMO Casing Soil.
Why peat
One industry, one raw material.
Industrial mushroom production in Europe uses up to two million cubic metres of peat as casing soil every year, and around four million worldwide. No equivalent alternative has yet become established as a standard.
At the same time, the raw material is becoming scarcer and more expensive. Ireland has ended industrial peat extraction and now imports peat from the Baltic states, England has announced a phase-out that includes mushroom production, and food retailers are starting to ask for mushrooms grown without peat. Behind all of this lies the fact that peatlands are among the most effective carbon stores and release CO₂ with every extraction.
- up to 2 million m³
- of peat per year for casing soil in the EU
- around 4 million m³
- of peat per year for casing soil worldwide
Why peat is so hard to replace
Peat holds a lot of water, releases it evenly and keeps its structure throughout the entire crop cycle. This combination has made it the standard in industrial mushroom production. Alternatives have been tested for decades, from wood fibre and bark to compost and spent casing. They can replace part of the peat. The real hurdle is achieving a high replacement rate with the same yield, consistent quality and in industrial volumes. The EU therefore still classifies the mushroom industry as highly dependent on peat.
- Water-holding capacityand water management
- Structureand structural stability
- pH stabilityduring the production cycle
CORMO Casing Soil
80% Miscanthus, 20% peat.
CORMO Casing Soil is based on Miscanthus, a perennial grass that grows back every year and can be cultivated on a large scale.
CORMO has developed a patented process for preparation and formulation that enables the material to take over the functions of peat in the casing layer. It holds water, provides structure and remains stable throughout the crop cycle.
More about CORMO Casing SoilImpact
For farms, the industry and peatlands.
For producers
Dependence on a raw material whose price and availability are under increasing pressure is reduced. Requirements from retail and regulation can be met before they become binding.
For the industry
Several million cubic metres of peat a year can be replaced step by step, farm by farm and without new equipment or processes.
For peatlands and climate
Peat that is not needed as casing soil stays in the bog. As the peat content falls, so do the emissions caused by extracting and decomposing it.
Validation
In industrial use.
CORMO has worked for many years with a leading industrial mushroom producer from the Netherlands. Together, the two companies have carried out numerous trials and test series. Today this partner is validating CORMO Casing Soil under real production conditions on an industrial scale.
Focus of the validation
- Yield
- Quality
- Water management
- Handling
- Reproducible resultsover several production cycles
Outlook
The path to peat-free casing soil.
Today’s CORMO Casing Soil still contains 20 percent peat. The next product generation is intended to work entirely without peat while performing at least as well as conventional casing soil.
Company
CORMO
CORMO AG has been developing alternative casing soil for industrial mushroom production for seven years.
- 7 years
- Research and development
- Saint-Aubin
- Registered office of CORMO AG, Canton of Fribourg
- 01
Maize straw
The first CORMO casing soil was based on maize straw and was tested in numerous real-world trials in mushroom production.
- 02
Industrial scale
On the way to industrial scale, however, it became clear that maize straw cannot be supplied in the volumes and with the consistency that industrial supply requires.
- 03
Miscanthus
CORMO therefore switched to Miscanthus. The preparation, formulation and application know-how from the maize straw development has gone into today’s casing soil, which performs without any loss compared with peat casing.
Contact
How to reach us.
For questions about CORMO Casing Soil, collaborations or the company.