Agri-entrepreneur Mario
Morala spent a career in agriculture trying to kill funguses that could harm
crops, but lately he’s trying to figure out if a fungus can help the farmers.
Morala led the effort to
grow edible fungi along with other 10 farmers to create the Bohol Mushroom
Farmers Association (Bomfa) in Barangay Cansumbol in Bilar town.
Bomfa provides fresh
mushrooms at the Bilar Hill Park and Restaurant, which also offers an acclaimed
varied menu (pancit, fried chicken, chicken halang-halang). But visitors and
tourists are looking for organic mushrooms products like tempura, empanada,
lumpia and cookies. These are the new food craze since the food scene in the
province is hit by a number of trends that change the way we eat. The thing to
note is that people now want gourmet food to be healthy and Instagrammable.
 |
| Farmers who are members of
the Mushroom Farmers Association (Bomfa) in Barangay Cansumbol in Bilar town, Bohol, grow nutritious oyster mushrooms. Photos by Leo Udtohan |
Morala, president of Bomfa, said that mushroom farming is very enterprising today and its market demand is amazing. They hope they can continue expanding in coming years.
Cansumbol is a quiet
hamlet, with many people relying on farming rice and corn for sustenance.
“There are a lot of really
good rice and vegetable growers in Bilar,” Morala said. “I figured that with
mushrooms it’s kind of an untapped market — a niche market.”
Morala clarified that
there’s a mushroom market here, with tourists
hungry for alternatives menu. Other towns like Loboc, Corella, Loon and
Ubay are riding the mushroom wave, too.
“[There are] Lots of
customers are waiting for us. We just need to be consistent of our production
because restaurant owners are asking for continuous supply of mushroom,” said
Morala.
“Everybody should grow mushrooms. We will invite other
farmers to do the same and meet the demands of
the market,” said Morala who asked other farmers to
embrace mushroom farming as an agribusiness venture.
According to acting
provincial agriculturist Dr. Larry Pamugas, the mushroom production project has
been swiftly gaining support among rice farmers in the province since it was
introduced by the Department of Agriculture in 2013.
“Mushroom production had
generated strong interest among rice farmers with many becoming very aggressive
in acquiring training and other technical support from the Department of
Agriculture through the provincial government,” he said.
 |
| The mushroom recipes which
are a must try- mushroom tempura, empanada, lumpia and mushroom cookies- these are not only delicious but nutritious as well. Photos by Leo Udtohan |
Morala said they learned
how to grow mushrooms by attending seminars, reading books and doing research.
They learned that oyster mushrooms are a fairly easy way to start cultivating
fungi, so that’s where they started.
To grow the edible fungi, the
used affordable and readily available materials, beginning with the mushroom
house or a greenhouse-like structure made of wood and bamboo.
The structure is covered
to darken the inside environment after planting. Inside the mushroom house, there
are plastic bottles they stuffed with rice straw, saw dust and dried banana
leaves and other agricultural wastes.
Under normal
circumstances, the mushroom house is usually kept very dark for a month after
planting the spawn to enable proper germination.
Morala said harvesting
starts after about a month since planting and they harvest at least 30kg of the
fungi every two days for four months. The price is P200-P250 per kilo, which is
cheaper compared to the P350 per kilo sold in supermarkets.
They sell it to restaurants,
hotel and resort owners in the capital city of Tagbilaran and Panglao Island,
where mushroom is used to make soup or it is served with other foods.
Morala is optimistic that
with the growing interest they will be able to start producing sufficient volumes
to sell in the market.
To help the farmers, a
seminar workshop was conducted last Thursday which was attended by mushroom
growers from the different towns of the province. It ensured technical,
financial and organizational sustainability of community-based enterprises.
Dr. Jae Taek Lee, country
director of the Korean Philippines International Agriculture (KOPIA) extended
latest technology in mushroom farming which was grasped by local players for
more production.
“The most important thing
is we should produce mushroom products of high quality. And now, farmers just
starting to develop mushrooms,” he said.
Bohol has finally realised
that mushrooms are one of the best ingredients.
 |
| Mario Morala hopes that mushroom growers in Bohol province will be able to produce sufficient volumes to sell in the market. Photo by Leo Udtohan |
“Mushrooms have a lot of
health benefits,” Morala said, including heart health and controlling diabetes
and cholesterol.
Mushrooms are full of
nutrients that improve everything from your immunity to sex drive. High in
fiber and antioxidants, they also are a source of more than a dozen other
vitamins and minerals, including folic acid.
Vegan customers like
mushrooms as a meat substitute, and some buyers have medicinal reasons to
consume mushrooms, which research has shown to support the immune system.
Morala said farmers grow the
Oyster variety because it is easy to cultivate. The mushrooms are also
beautiful which the delicate frills cascade like waterfalls and they come in a
broad spectrum of colors.
Mushroom growers have been
happy with the reception their mushrooms have been receiving by locals and
tourists.
“I think more and more people
are aware of the benefits and deliciousness of mushrooms,” Pamugas said.
Don't be surprised if you find more mushroom
dishes on restaurant menus. Just lap it up, and enjoy the benefits.
***
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