Mushroom: A Highly Prospective Crop in Bangladesh

 

Mushroom is a large reproductive structure of edible fungi belong to either Ascomycotina or Basidiomycotina. The vegetative parts of mushrooms are mainly consisting of thread-like long thin mycelia which under suitable condition forms fruiting bodies or sporocarps. The sporocarp is called mushroom.
Mushroom is a crop with infinite potential in the context of Bangladesh because-

1. Mushroom is a nutritious (high quality/complete protein, rich in vitamins and    minerals), delicious and have medicinal value.

2. Environment friendly crop: Mushroom do not require any insecticide, fungicide even chemical fertilizer. So, mushroom is an organic crop

3. Land Saving Crop: Mushroom do Not require any fertile land which is very scare in our country. Large quantities of mushrooms can be produced in a small space.

4. Scope for vertical expansion: It can be cultivated vertically on rack and one unit of land may give the benefit of several units.

5. Easy to cultivate

6. Mushroom cultivation is possible for people of all levels.

7. There is a demand for mushrooms worldwide. Currently, there is a demand in our country as well.

8. Socio-economic condition of Bangladesh and role of mushroom

Population Density: Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries of the world  and the density increasing.

Crop land Shrinking: The crop land of Bangladesh is shrinking for human settlement.

Unemployment problem: Unemployment is a great concern for our country especially for the women. It is possible to create employment opportunities for unemployed, disabled and specially women.

In this respect, mushroom cultivation may be a solution. Because, mushroom cultivation is a labour intensive activity and it does not require enough land. Mushroom cultivation can be started with low capital. So, it can be welcomed by the farmers of Bangladesh as a profitable agribusiness.

9. Environmental condition of Bangladesh and suitability of mushroom cultivation: Bangladesh enjoys a salubrious climate without the extremes of either summer or winter. The temperature of the country ranges 10-260 C in winter and 24-360C in summer and the relative humidity ranges from 62 to 88%.  

The environmental factors of Bangladesh are suitable for the production of different mushrooms species. Straw, Milky and Reishi mushroom can be grown in summer, Shiitake and Button can be grown in winter and oyster mushroom can be grown round the year. Mushroom cultivation is free from natural hazard like cyclone, draught, flood, etc. as an indoor crop

10.Availability of mushroom substrate: Moreover, huge amount agricultural and other wastes viz, rice straw, corn cob, sugarcane bagasse, sawdust, waste paper, etc. are also available in Bangladesh that can be used for mushroom production.

In this context, to utilize the potential of mushrooms, the Nutrition Improvement and Poverty Reduction through Mushroom Cultivation Expansion Project is conducting mushroom research and extension work through the Mushroom Development Institute and 34 horticulture centers, 160 upazilas and 15 metropolitan areas.

1. Strengthen Institutional Facility for mushroom production and Extension: Well-equipped laboratory facilities for mushroom production and research and training facilities for technology transfer have been developed in Mushroom Development Institute (MDI), Savar, Dhaka and 34 sub centers located at different parts of Bangladesh.

2. Manpower developed for mushroom production

3. Development of Technologies and Equipment’s: Farmer’s friendly low-cost technologies and equipment's suitable for Bangladesh have been developed in our country. Mushroom production specially the spawn production is a sophisticated activity and it was a difficult task for the mushroom growers of Bangladesh. The technologies and equipment's developed from MDI and project office, Savar, Dhaka have made the task easier.

4. Developed Mushroom Marketing Channel: Bangladesh is a big market of mushroom. In recent years, mushroom consumption in the country is increasing very fast due to awareness building about the nutritional and medicinal value of mushroom and it is being sold in Chinese restaurants, chain supermarkets, fry shops and vegetable stores .

5. Extension of technologies and production of Mushroom:The newly developed technologies and equipment's are being used by the mushroom growers and traders of Bangladesh.  About 40000 Metric tons of mushroom is being produced per year from nearly twenty thousand mushroom farms and the trend of mushroom production is very high and impressive.  

A good number of big mushroom farms have been developed in our country which are also the source of inspiration, information and production materials like mother culture and spawn packets for small, seasonal and new mushroom growers of the country.   A few numbers of mushroom processing farms have also been developed in our country. They are producing mushroom enriched products.

Conclusion: Presently, about 40000 M. tons of mushroom is being produced per year in Bangladesh (Economic value is about Tk. 800 crore). But we can produce more than 5 lakh tons of mushroom per year using only 1% straws of rice and wheat produced in Bangladesh. This amount of mushroom may be produced per year within 5 years of time, if special emphasis would be given. We can target to increase production of mushroom 10 folds within the next 10 to 15 years. Then, this horticultural crop-mushroom production would be a very important component of the agriculture sector without using any fertile land, which is very scarce in our country.


Dr. Akther Jahan Kakon is
Project Director in Department
of Agricultural Extension,
Agriculture Ministry.