Yamang Bukid formally opens its mushroom production house as part of the 4th Agros Festival on Saturday, February 16.
Undersecretary Evelyn Laviňa of the Department of Agriculture led the ribbon-cutting rites and was the first to harvest the mushrooms.
The opening of the facility will bring additional income for the farmers of Yamang Bukid.
“Masaya at nakakaexcite, di ko akalain na ganito kabongga ang opening ng aming mushroom [laboratory], masaya ang mga staff,” said Leah Conlu, Mentor Consultant at Yamang Bukid mushroom production as she expressed her excitement.
She said that the mushrooms they cultivated are edible to eat and also a recipe for cooking like the Angel Oyster mushroom.
As of now, they are focusing on how the production will be set out and to monitor the growth of the mushrooms.
“Binubuhos pa namin yung pinaka production saka na pag okay na, kapag nakaplastar na, iiventory lahat yan kung ilang kita, ilan yung benta,’’ Conlu added.
The staff members are looking forward for the success of the mushroom production that will surely help the farmers.
“Alagaan nila ito, dahil ito ang magbibigay sa kanila ng isang karagdagang pangkabuhayan para sa kanila,’’ she further added.
In an exclusive interview with Palawan Daily News, Kissy A. Orillo, Yamang Bukid Farm agriculturist said that their mushroom oyster production started last January 23.
“It would take two months for these mushrooms to be harvested,” Orillo said.
Mushrooms produced will be supplied to Yamang Bukid restaurants and for commercial distribution, as well.
“Mayroon din kaming plano sa food processing, like chicharon at mushroom tocino,” Orillo bared.
In five to ten years, they look forward that the mushroom production will be sustainable and could meet the demand for the YB restaurants and clients.
“Mushroom itself is a sustainable livelihood to us. May pera talaga sa mushroom. And it could help us, especially our farmers,” Orillo said.
For Orillo who hailed from Mindanao and being an expert in mushroom production, it’s a blessing and opportunity being an agriculturist and working in Yamang Bukid Farm in Puerto Princesa City as she leads the team to produce oyster mushrooms.