PRDP RAISES SUSTAINABLE INCOME TO MUSHROOM FARMERS IN TARLAC
Bamban, TARLAC – Farmers in Bamban has proven that mushroom growing is a profitable source of sustainable income.
This was revealed during a field documentation conducted by the Philippine Rural Development Project -Project Support Office (PRDP – PSO) and the Regional Project Coordination Office (PRCO 3) I-REAP, InfoACE and Monitoring and Evaluation Unit to the Natural Farming Vegetable and Organic Mushroom Producers Cooperative, here where documentation of the thriving mushroom production took place.
In an interview with Eusebio Santos, chairman of the cooperative, he stated that the steamers provided by PRDP has tremendously improved the process of mushroom production and fruiting bags.
“With the help from PRDP, the steamers they provided were a great relief to us. We are able to steam the fruiting bags in an hour which usually take 8 hours when we use drums,” Santos added.
It was in 2013 that the cooperative started with only 15 members and has gradually increased in numbers, with now 96 members including indigenous people (IP).
Meanwhile, former chairman, now consultant, Pablito Sarmiento shared their past experience before the intervention of PRDP where it was difficult for them to produce 25 kilograms of mushroom in a month.
He also said that the cooperative proposed the project to PRDP because they realized that mushrooms are harvest-ready within 12 days which is a huge advantage to generate income.
To augment more profit, the cooperative also engaged in the production of mushroom fruiting bags for sale to the public at PHP25 each.
Currently, the cooperative is able to produce 300 kilograms of mushroom per month and are sold to a ready market at PHP400 to PHP500 per kilograms.
The cooperative also encouraged the residents in Tarlac to engage in mushroom production considering its health benefits.
Dubbed as “Food of the Warriors”, mushroom is a good source of vitamins and serves as an alternative to meat for vegetarians and a great addition to a healthy diet. (Ma. Reina Len Luna, RPCO3 InfoACE)
