A Tipperary mushroom factory is set to create more than 60 new jobs with its expansion.
Walsh Mushrooms in Golden are hoping to have the expansion completed by September.
Additional jobs will also be created during construction, which includes the building of more than 12 growing rooms.
They currently employ 170 people and since 2016, they have more than doubled production and more than doubled their number of employees.
Managing Director Padraic O’Leary told Tipp FM News that their industry contributes significantly to the local economy.
“The mushroom industry is a huge employer in local, rural areas. I mean take our operation down in Golden there, it’s a rural area and we employ up to 170 people there at the moment and are about to complete an expansion that would bring that up to 230 people.
“Now, you imagine what that is doing for the local economy there. Currently, there’s a wage bill well in excess of €100,000 going into the local economy, with just direct employees, not to mind all the outside contractors who work off the business.”
He added that according to Teagasc, the farm gate value for mushrooms was €123 million in 2020, up from €119 million in 2019.
