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Since the 19th century, the Philippines has been producing mushrooms. However, despite the long-term introduction in the country more than a century ago, the Philippines' contribution to local mushroom demand has so far only been 10%. 

Although it can be a profitable business, many Filipinos have not ventured into mushroom cultivation due to lack of awareness. 

Emma Tolentino is a mushroom grower, ATI learning website collaborator and owner of Tarak Eco-Natural Integrated Farm. She talked about mushrooms and their potential in the market at the AgriTalk mushroom production webinar. 

Growing mushrooms can provide people with sustainable income. If you have a hectare of rice fields, if you also grow mushrooms and use the straw in the rice fields as a growing medium, you can generate an additional 100,000 pesos per year. It can be used to produce mushrooms instead of burning straw. Not only can it protect the environment by reducing agricultural waste (such as straw, dried banana leaves, rice husks and sawdust), but it can also help you earn more. 

Mushroom production also balances the farm’s ecosystem by bringing back microorganisms and insects that are beneficial to the soil and the farm itself. You don't need thousands of pesos to start this. Using mushroom strains with a price lower than P100, you can produce and sell mushrooms worth P400. From there, you can start to expand materials and build growing houses until you reach your final goal. 

The market for mushrooms is not a problem either, as they are becoming more and more popular in many parts of the country, including Tarlac and Palawan. There is no academic requirement for mushroom cultivation, but with diligence and enthusiasm, you can successfully produce and sell them. 

Types of edible fungi 

The following are all kinds of edible mushrooms that anyone can grow in a limited or large planting space: 

Lentinula edodes-a common mushroom that is widely sold in grocery stores and other stores across the country. Due to its popularity and demand, growing shiitake mushrooms can also be profitable. 

Flammulina (flammulina velutipes)-also known as Flammulina velutipes. These long, thin mushrooms are very popular in Japanese cuisine and are usually added to soups and noodles.

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)-This is another common edible mushroom, available in pink, yellow, white, gray and black. If you choose to produce this species, the demand for white oysters and grey oysters is usually higher.

Straw mushroom (Volvariella Volvacea)-Straw mushroom is a warmth-loving fungus, available in brown, black and white. This variety is easy to grow and can be grown in less than a month. 

Jelly ear (Auricularia auricula-judae)-Jelly ear is an ear-shaped mushroom, which is why it is also called "tengang daga" or fungus. Jelly ear mushrooms are a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine. In the Philippines, this is also an ingredient for frying and offal. 

Ganoderma or Ganoderma lucidum (Ganoderma lucidum)-Ganoderma is known as the "immortality mushroom". It is as hard as leather. According to Tolentino, this mushroom is boiled or chopped until it becomes a powder and can be mixed with coffee as a health supplement.

Five factors affecting mushroom growth 

For any type of mushroom, the following are important factors that affect its growth: 

temperature. The temperature varies with the type of mushroom. For example, straw mushrooms require a temperature of 35 to 38 degrees Celsius, while shiitake mushrooms only grow at colder temperatures.

humidity. The moisture content in the air must be maintained at 80 to 90%.

Light. The place where mushrooms are grown must be free from direct sunlight. 

food. Use a substrate suitable for the needs of mushrooms to provide enough food for the mushrooms. Straw mushrooms require a substrate rich in nitrogen and potassium, so it includes banana leaves and Kawate leaves.

maintain. Proper care is very important for raising mushrooms. Regardless of the variety, every time you plant, cultivate, and harvest them, be sure to use alcohol and wear protective clothing to keep them clean.

Mushrooms are not just raw production and sales; growers creatively use harvested mushrooms to make products. At the Tolentino farm, they use the mushrooms they grow to make burgers, embutido, longganisa, adobo, curry, bagoong, tocino and laing. Other manufacturers turn them into mushroom slices. 

The cost and return of mushrooms 

It does not require huge capital to produce mushrooms, but it can bring you huge profits. For example, if you grow straw mushrooms, the cost of a rice bed of banana leaves or straw is P40, while spawning is only P80. Your total cost is P120 per kilogram of mushrooms. The average farm delivery price of straw mushrooms is more than 300 pesos per kilogram. Therefore, after more or less one month of production, your profit may be P180 per kilogram of mushrooms. 

Mushrooms may provide income and livelihood opportunities, but it can also provide healthy personal consumption options for many people. 

Insights shared by Emma Tolentino on the first day of Agritalk 2020: The Urban Agriculture Promotion Webinar Series on Mushroom Production was held on August 19, 2020. 

For more information, please visit the Agritalk 2020: Urban Agriculture Promotion Webinar Series Facebook group.

Read more about agriculture and gardening at agriculture.com.ph.

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