MUSHROOMang-ay a Panagbiag
Like mushrooms sprouting all over, many mushroom productions are now making their interest known to the DA-CAR.
In response to this growing interest, an on-site training of the Community Based Mushroom Production (CBMP) was conducted at Cordillera Integrated Agriculture Research Center (CIARC).
“Mayat nu adu kadatayo ti kayat na nga ag-business ti mushroom ken maragsakan kami met nu adu ti pursigido nga trainees (it is good if most of you are interested to venture on mushroom production as a business and we are also glad if the trainees are diligent),” said Dr. Magdalena Wanawan, Chief of CIARC.
About 90% of mushroom consumed in the country is being imported while only 10% is produced domestically. Among the 10% comes produced domestically, of 10% comes from the Cordillera.
This is the very reason why the Community Based Mushroom Production was created since 2013. It is a project intended to raise rice farmers’ income through the intensive use of farm waste material. Today the project is also promoting mushroom production as a potential business for all interested farmers and local residents.
The participants in this training dedicated housewives, members of senior citizens, farmers or even individuals who are looking for new enterprise that could serve as their past time and at the same time to earn income. Some were just called to attend by their colleagues but at the end of the training they were enticed to join the club of mushroom growers.
Pablo Agustin, one of the participants who is from Baguio City said that he is very grateful for the training. "As a senior citizen I want to spend time through agricultural activities such as mushroom production, he added.
“We have high hopes that someone or most of you will continue to produce mushroom and it would be better if all of you will venture in it”, said Evangeline T. Balderama, Science Research Specialist II of the CBMP.
Moreover, the market for mushroom is not a problem also for mushroom producers since there is a big demand for the commodity said Wilfredo Tabugader, Focal Person of the Community Based Mushroom Production Project in Cordillera. He encouraged the participants to put what they have learned into practice
