By Nelson Joe

Copyright postcourier

Market indicates a need for 35 tons of mushroom while only 3.5 tons are supplied annually.

Pioneer Mushroom managing director, Peti Lafanama, has revealed this on Monday during the celebration for the completion of the China Aid Upland Rice and Juncao (mushroom) Technology Project demonstration base and ground-breaking ceremony for a multimedia centre in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province.

Mushrooms are grown in Komiufa, North Goroka Tahuku LLG. A kilogram (kg) sells at K15- K16 per/kg for local farmers and it takes (8) eight days to grow a mushroom stem/tube that could weigh between 3-4kg.

“Right now we are supplying only 3.5 tons (in packages) annually aggregated from farmers, whether individually or as a group,” he said.

“We monopolise the Port Moresby market and there’s need for more.

“Some markets are telling me that they need 35 tonnes of mushroom annually.

“The challenge right now is to come up with the tonnes of mushrooms that we can produce as well as how we can do with rice and progress it forward.”

He urged those who turned up at the celebration to inform others that there is market for mushrooms at better prices.

He expressed concern that this simple technology, the application of which involves shades built of bush materials and eight days to harvest mushroom and every three days from same mushroom tube for several months, is yet to be produced in bulk after this technology landed in PNG almost 30 years ago.

However, pointing out the potential of this technology in PNG as reflected by the China’s persistent support throughout the years, Mr Lafanama called for its extension program into the districts, now that the technology has its permanent demonstration base in the provincial capital.

“We need to have extension programs out there and make money available to our district and governor’s offices so that our people can get into mushroom farming and grow it to industrial level,” he said.

He acknowledged the successive leadership (politically and administratively) after him that has kept the project going on over the years, and made special mention of the inventor Prof Lin Zhanxi, the project director Prof Lin Yingxing, the Fujian Province and especially the China’s President Xi Jinping, for their steadfast commitment to this technology in PNG and the Eastern Highlands incumbent MP Simon Sia for pushing this project at his level.

He also congratulated those farmers who had already adopted this technology and reaping the benefits and challenged others to adopt it so they can experience its benefits themselves.