Straw mushrooms a life saver for Southern rubber growers

[rooster59]

Straw mushrooms a life saver for Southern rubber growers

By THE NATION

 

 

With the prices of rubber and palm oil so low, some farmers in Nuea Khlong district at Krabi province have turned to growing straw mushrooms, which bring in a daily revenue of Bt600 to Bt1000, Asara Chindapol, a mushroom growing pioneer, said yesterday (December 6).

 

 

Farmers from more than 20 families have been growing the mushrooms for distribution to large stores for almost a year,” she said. “This business has able to create enough revenue for those farmers, compensating for the low prices they are getting for rubber and palm oil.

 

Asara said that she started growing mushrooms at her house three years ago. After learning that market demand was at least 200 to 300 kilograms per day, she suggested her neighbors start cultivating them too.

 

Generally, farmers grow the mushrooms in the rubber or palm plantations. They use palm branches left by palm factories for nurseries. “Presently, we can harvest around 30 to 50 kilograms per day,” Asara added.

 

The growers also allow those without their own space to use their mushroom’s nurseries, as the soil can be used as fertilizer after the mushrooms are harvested.

 

In addition, Asara said that she wanted the government to help those who wanted to grow the mushrooms but had no funds to start. “Buyers have confirmed that there are still not enough straw mushrooms to satisfy demand.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30379180

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-12-08

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[Sydebolle]

So now they will flood the market with mushrooms ......... The price for straw mushrooms dropped from B 150 down to B 90 - 100 and private growers sell you the delight for as little as B 50/kg. 

[jollyhangmon]

Yeah, right direction basically ... just wrong kinda shrooms! 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

So now they will flood the market with mushrooms ......... The price for straw mushrooms dropped from B 150 down to B 90 - 100 and private growers sell you the delight for as little as B 50/kg. 

That's good news then... for the customer, another subsidy in the pipeline for the government.

[cornishcarlos]

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

a mushroom growing pioneer,

 

Oh stop it please my sides are aching !! 

 

????????

[Golden Triangle]

4 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

So now they will flood the market with mushrooms ......... The price for straw mushrooms dropped from B 150 down to B 90 - 100 and private growers sell you the delight for as little as B 50/kg. 

My thoughts exactly when I read the story, every Tom, Dick & Harry are gonna be growing them now and when the bottom falls out of the market they will be begging the government for more handouts. Amazing Thailand.

Edited December 8, 2019 by Golden Triangle

[impulse]

But an encouraging switch is that the people took it upon themselves to start growing mushrooms to supplement their income. 

 

It wasn't the government pushing the program.  And, unlike palm oil, rubber, and so many other (government encouraged) agro commodities, mushrooms are ready for harvesting in days or weeks, and take up a few square meters.  Not years and decades and square kilometers.

 

I salute them for their initiative and their entrepreneurship.  Minus a couple of points for not keeping it secret.  Or at least fibbing and claiming that they can't make any money at it...

 

Edit:  I helped a co-worker's family get set up in BKK to grow oyster mushrooms in their back yard.  It was simple and pretty cheap.  And as a function of trying out different mushroom recipes, I stumbled upon mushroom based imitation bacon.  Lots of recipes for it online, and it is excellent!

 

Edited December 8, 2019 by impulse