Branding for mushrooms

​

Ms. Dao Thi Hoa (Bau Coi Hamlet, Bao Quang commune, Long Khanh city) sat by her Ganoderma Farm.

Rotational mushroom cultivation

Instead of specializing in one type of mushroom, people here tend to rotate different types of mushrooms in the same year. This is explained as being aimed at changing the environment, preventing pests and diseases, ensuring productivity.

Ms. Dao Thi Hoa, a person with 20 years experience in mushroom cultivation, said: “If I grow one type of mushroom continuously, the probability of infection will be high. Therefore, in one year, I will alternate between 2-3 types of mushrooms in 1 farm. For example, this time I grow Ganoderma, the next batch I will grow Wood-Ear Mushroom, then I will grow abalone mushroom and then return to grow Ganoderma.”

Ms. Hoa has been in mushroom cultivation since 2001. Initially, she planted 5,000 mushrooms (5,000 bags), then increased to 10,000. When her mushroom farm reached 70,000, she began supplying the seeds to other mushroom growers. Ms. Hoa is also a pioneer in the field of growing Ganoderma in Bau Coi hamlet.

According to Ms. Hoa, Ganoderma has high economic value and low risk. “I have been cultivating Ganoderma and almost no disease occur, also the price is high. One kilogram of dried Ganoderma costs about VND 600,000. Therefore, I plan to experiment with specializing in the growing of Ganoderma at this season. But if you want to grow Ganoderma continuously, the replanting time must be long. That is, after the harvest is completed, the farm must be left empty for a while before replanting mushrooms.”

Mrs. Hoa's house has a hatchery, which provides mushroom embryos for not only local farmers but also for other provinces and cities. However, in order to grow Ganoderma, Ms. Dao still has to buy other people's seeds, and it is also the trader who will collect her Ganoderma products.

At present, there are still few traders collecting Ganoderma mushrooms. The consumption of this mushroom depends entirely on traders. This is also the general situation of other mushrooms in Bau Coi Hamlet. Farmers who growing mushrooms, even Bao Quang Mushroom Cooperative are still selling to traders under the form of "verbal contracts" but have not found businesses to sign contracts to cover products, and such mushroom products have not been put directly on supermarket shelves.

Towards building own brand

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Thao, Deputy Director of Bao Quang Mushroom Cooperative said: “I have visited the high-tech mushroom growing model in some places but have not considered this investment, because of the high initial investment cost. While most of the farmers here have built their camps in the traditional way, it is difficult to break them to renew. Moreover, my farmers still grow mushrooms according to experience but do not know how to apply science and technology.”

Due to the traditional production method, mushroom production depends on many factors. In addition to the quality of seeds, the production of mushrooms by farmers also depends on temperature, weather and climate. If doing hi-tech, people can actively control the temperature, humidity... At that time, mushroom production will no longer be dependent on the weather, certainly planting is "gaining".

Although it is not possible to invest in high technology, the participation of young people like Mr. Thao in the cooperative also partly opens up the development direction for mushroom trade village in Bao Quang commune. As a member of the Board of Directors of the cooperative, Mr. Thao takes the initiative in marketing and finding outputs for the product and makes efforts to build the brand of Long Khanh mushroom.

“I myself would like to build my own brand for Long Khanh mushroom. Currently, the farmers here have produced many types of mushrooms, high yields but not actively marketable, but all have to go through traders. Therefore, in order to sell mushrooms at a good price, expand the market, they must build their own brand. This is the work that we are doing. ” - said Mr. Thao.

By Hoang Giang