Feather in Mushroom Development Centre’s cap
SHILLONG: In a first by the state government, Japan’s famous Shiitake mushroom was harvested by a horticulture official.
Sumar Kharlukhi, who cultivated the Shiitake mushroom, told The Shillong Times on Wednesday that the first quality mushroom was nurtured by planting spawn (seed) brought from Solan, Himachal Pradesh.
The spawns were planted on chestnut trees in Meghalaya to develop the variety unlike in Himachal Pradesh where the farmers grow them on oak trees.
Except in Himachal Pradesh, the Shiitake mushroom is very rare in Meghalaya and other parts of the country.
Kharkongor, Assistant Director, Horticulture, Mushroom Development Centre, Upper Shillong, said the Shiitake mushroom grows in temperature between 10 degree Celsius and 28 degree Celsius and Meghalaya with its favourable climatic condition is an ideal place for large scale cultivation.
Locally known as Tip Tung, the mushroom grows wild in parts of West and South West Khasi Hills but they are yet to be commercially tapped, said KN Kumar, Chairman of Meghalaya Farmers’ Empowerment Commission.
Earlier, the ICAR had also succeeded in harvesting the Shiitake mushroom considered a medicinal mushroom.
While the ordinary Button and Oyster mushrooms fetch less price, the value of one kg of 12 Shiitake mushroom pieces is Rs 2,500.
The Shiitake mushroom grown in the wild especially on wild logs is small in size and at least 300 to 350 pieces are required to weigh one kg, Kharkongor said.
The price of one kg button mushroom is around Rs 250 in the local market while that of Oyster ranges from Rs 160 to Rs 180.
Kumar said the agreement with Japan’s Yats Corporation Co Ltd. to commercially cultivate Shiitake mushroom is likely to come through and three officers led by Kharkongor from the Mushroom Development Centre will be sent for training and in turn they will train the farmers in Meghalaya.
“We need to get technological support and Japan has agreed to buy large quantity of Shiitake mushroom from Meghalaya”, Kumar said.
India is importing Shiitake mushrooms from Japan, Malaysia and China.
“In 2016, 10,000 kg of Shiitake mushrooms were imported. If we can tap the mushrooms with Japanese assistance, this will be a game changer”, Kumar said.
