ILOILO CITY — The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas has turned over P250,000 worth of projects for the establishment of an urban mushroom production in Barangay San Isidro, Buenavista town, Guimaras.
Jonifer Frades, regional focal person of the DA High Value Crops Development Program, said the implementation of the DA National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program seeks to strengthen food security and economic growth in the urban and peri-urban areas.
Engr. Edmon Mella, president of the association, said the projects given by the DA would significantly help them lower the cost of production and to encourage more mushroom farmers in the province.
“One of the visions of the association is to make Guimaras as the mushroom capital of the region. The province is ideal for mushroom production because of accessibility and availability of raw materials,” said Mella.
The association already has 27 farmer cooperators and they grow fresh oyster mushrooms. The surplus of the production is processed into mushroom chicharron, lumpia and other value-added products delivered to the markets in Iloilo City.