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| Sunday, 2 May 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Big scope for mushroom cultivation here by Chanuka Mannapperuma Mushroom cultivation is a profitable entrepreneurial opportunity for unemployed and under employed persons in urban as well as rural areas. It is an agricultural crop which does not require much land or a large capital investment. However it can earn a good profit. According to Deputy Director of Export Development Board (EDB), M.Z.M. Farahd, there were many suppliers to the local market under the EDB training centres. All of them were medium-scale cultivators. Our main export market was the Maldives with a quantity of three Metric Tonnes (Mt) worth Rs. 0.7 million per year. "There is a good demand for our mushroom, but we are unable to meet that." Mushroom can be exported as a bottled soup, dried in packets, in the form of moju and pickle. Thailand, Philippines and Malaysia were the main importers of mushroom to Sri Lanka. "We are cultivating only a few varieties of mushroom-mainly 'Oyster' and 'Button'. However, these varieties have only a short shelf life and, as a result, the demand is low for them. Research institutions play a vital role in mushroom cultivation in Sri Lanka, said Head of 'Pied de Mouton (Pvt) Ltd', Rahasing Arachchi, adding "we export mushrooms to the Netherlands and we have been trained abroad on its cultivation." "Since the varieties of mushroom grown Sri Lanka are limited and their shelf life is short, we are not in a position to meet the export demand. "Mushroom cultivation can be expanded with the support of the government or any other organisation, with the know-how, techniques and expertise required for it. "It will also generate employment and earn foreign exchange to the country by penetrating into European markets," he added. According to mushroom cultivators, Sri Lanka had a great potential to develop it as a industry to cater to both local and export markets. There are over 2000 varieties of mushroom and some of them are commercially marketed. The common varieties are, Oysters, Morel, Ceps, Piduru Hathu, Len Hathu, Chanterelle, Truffle, Shitake and Chinese straw mushroom. Some have strong anti-biotic properties and are also used as a treatment for certain cancer patients. Of the 2000 varieties of mushroom, only a few are considered poisonous. Mushroom can be cultivated mainly in a cool climate. Black truffle, murali, trumpet are the most expensive varieties. Fresh mushroom comprise fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, calcium and iron. |
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