Mushroom packaging system

A mushroom packaging system comprising:

• a mushroom packaging apparatus for packing mushrooms into containers;
• a mushroom loading apparatus comprising a mushroom loading station and a mushroom conveyor for conveying mushrooms to the mushroom packaging apparatus;
• a container conveyance apparatus for conveying containers from a container storage apparatus to a packaged mushroom collection station via the mushroom packaging apparatus;
• the container storage apparatus comprising a container loading station and being operable to deliver containers onto said container conveyance apparatus;
• and
• wherein the mushroom loading station, container loading station and packaged mushroom collection station are located such that a human operator located at an operator station is able to load mushrooms to the mushroom loading station, load containers to the container loading station, and retrieve containers from the packaged mushroom collection station, wherein the mushroom packaging apparatus comprises at least one mushroom lifting and/or lowering means which lifts the mushrooms from the mushroom conveyor and transfers the mushrooms to a container locatable on the container conveyance apparatus, and wherein the at least one mushroom lifting and/or lowering means comprises at least one suction cup configured to engage with and selectable retain the mushrooms.