Nogeh (centre) giving the thumbs-up while holding a bag of oyster mushrooms. Amelia is at right.
KUCHING: Landowners are urged to fully utilise their land by planting oyster mushrooms as it has high export demand.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Dato Anthony Nogeh Gumbek said other mushroom species like needle mushroom, Lingzhi mushroom, king oyster mushroom, button mushroom and Shiitake mushroom are also recommended.
“In 10 years (2000-2010) we see the export value rising from RM12 million to RM67 million, multifold increase. In 2016, we produced 4,200 metric tonnes of mushrooms for both domestic (market) and export,” he said during a press conference after launching the Mas Gading Oyster Mushroom Planting Course at Redeems Centre in Bau yesterday.
Looking at the potential of mushrooms, he hoped the people in the Mas Gading constituency would develop their idle lands into mushrooms farms.
Nogeh who is also Mas Gading MP, noted that many areas in Mas Gading comprise land with damp soil which is suitable for mushroom growing.
He announced that a local company, Bratak Mushroom Sdn Bhd is on hand to be the main company to help farmers to market their mushrooms.
“This is a new company and they will be the main company supplying seed and buying back mushroom produced by the farmers here. The mushroom planting is part of my effort in Mas Gading, after introducing MD2 pineapple which is exported to Singapore, Hong Kong and China.”
Thus, he hopes more people especially farmers and youth will take up mushroom growing and become successful mushroom producers.
The one-day course organised by Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (Mardi) was participated by 220 people from Mas Gading. The course aims to share with the participants the expertise in commercial oyster mushroom farming.
Earlier, he said fresh mushroom production has gained popularity in Peninsular Malaysia but not really taken up in Sarawak. With the hosting of the course, more Sarawakians will take it up as it has great potential.
He pointed out that in the 2018 Budget, mushrooms have been identified as one of the new potential agriculture sectors which included coconut, pineapple, grain corn and Musang King durian.
“The ministry’s strategy to develop the mushroom industry is to increase production and productivity. This is where Mardi comes in, we have over 80 Mardi staff and PhD researchers to conduct research in all agriculture fields every day.”
During the course, participants were exposed to theory and practical on oyster mushroom planting, from making mushroom substrate bags to mushroom management. It also includes planting, project funding talk by Agrobank and sharing session by a mushroom entrepreneur.
Mardi Sarawak director Mohammad Noor Adros Yahya and Bau District officer Amelia Siam were present at the event.