Growers and Grocers

The cool mountain air of La Trinidad, Benguet, 250km north of Manila is the perfect place for growing mushrooms. Going by years of experience, Dr. Janet Luis of the Benguet State University (BSU) believes that oyster mushrooms are feasible as a cash crop similar to the sweet strawberries that the province is known for.

With a small capital and minimal supervision, oyster mushroom production also supports organic farming as chemicals and fertilizers are not needed in growing these delicate plants.

The demand for mushrooms has recently climbed due to increased awareness of the health benefits gained from them. Versatile in many dishes, oyster mushrooms are also more affordable compared to shiitake and others (except button mushrooms) that are often sold for 3 times higher than the price of oysters.

Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus Ostreatus) is a fleshy, gilled mushroom growing in shelf-like fashion on wood that is a good food and promising medicinal. Protein quality is nearly equal to animal derived protein. Low fat content is mostly of the good unsaturated kind. Also contained are carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins B1, B2, plus minerals, especially iron and an antioxident. This mushroom shows activity against cancer and high cholesterol. It has shown activity in the following areas: antitumor, immune response, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibiotic.

To improve crop growth, several mushrooms varieties have been modified for optimum performance for the Benguet weather.

Four oyster mushroom varieties (Pleurotus) and two shiitake (Lentinula) strains are adapted to Benguet conditions. These are P. hybridus (white and gray) and P. sajor-caju No. 503 and 03. For Lentinula, the edodes no. 5050 and the BCI strain adapted very well to the locality. The return on investment for the Pleurotus strains ranged from 150 to 250% while Lentinula species ranged from 150 to 200 %, making mushroom growing very profitable in Benguet.

This year, the Benguet State University Multipurpose Cooperative (BSUMPC) had been granted Php1 million (approx US$19,600) to fund the research and development of powdered oyster mushrooms for high-end markets and for export by the AusAID-PACAP. Dr. Luis said that this grant will aid in establishing a mushroom-growing enterprise to train and help finance loans to BSU students who come from poor families.

Project leader Luis said that although the project goals seem impossible, it is also attainable due to the continuous growing market for fresh and processed mushrooms. She envisioned that:

The students are expected to produce 30,000 kilos of fresh mushrooms in a year, use the income to settle their loans and later produce their own growing bags and growing houses.