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 storage apparatus ; a packaged mushroom collection station ; a container conveyance apparatus for conveying containers from the container storage apparatus to the packaged mushroom collection station via the mushroom packaging apparatus , wherein the mushroom packaging apparatus comprises at least one mushroom lifting and lowering means which lifts the mushrooms from the mushroom conveyor and transfers the mushrooms to a container locatable on the container conveyance apparatus; the container storage apparatus comprising a container loading station and being operable to deliver containers onto said container conveyance apparatus; wherein the mushroom loading station , container loading station and packaged mushroom collection station are located sufficiently close to each other 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; and wherein the container storage apparatus comprises a container storage portion located such that a container may be deposited therefrom onto the container conveyance apparatus and the container conveyance apparatus is routed such that it is driven in a single direction to transport the containers through the mushroom packaging apparatus and on to the packaged mushroom collection station. 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 storage apparatus ; a packaged mushroom collection station ; a container storage apparatus ; a packaged mushroom collection station ; a container conveyance apparatus for conveying containers from the container storage apparatus to the packaged mushroom collection station via the mushroom packaging apparatus , wherein the mushroom packaging apparatus comprises at least one mushroom lifting and lowering means which lifts the mushrooms from the mushroom conveyor and transfers the mushrooms to a container locatable on the container conveyance apparatus; the container storage apparatus comprising a container loading station and being operable to deliver containers onto said container conveyance apparatus; wherein the mushroom loading station , container loading station and packaged mushroom collection station are located sufficiently close to each other 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; and wherein the container storage apparatus comprises a container storage portion located such that a container may be deposited therefrom onto the container conveyance apparatus and the container conveyance apparatus is routed such that it is driven in a single direction to transport the containers through the mushroom packaging apparatus and on to the packaged mushroom collection station. <EOS>