Agri Gossip

THE CITIZEN


Professor Charles Chen from Southern Taiwan University of Science & Technology is the pioneer of an extremely efficient and fast method of exotic mushroom cultivation, which is seeing growing use locally.

Chen was invited to South Africa by Andy Weng, who has been supporting local farmers who have started using Chen’s methods.

“The climate in South Africa is much more suited to growing mushrooms than the climate in Taiwan,” said Chen.
“It’s too hot in Taiwan, so back there we have to use air conditioning.”

Oyster and shiitake mushrooms are two of the most popular types of mushroom currently being cultivated in South Africa using Chen’s method, but the technique is also suited to the growing of medicinal mushrooms used in Chinese traditional medicine.

Not a lot of space is needed to farm mushrooms, and this means that farming suddenly becomes a viable option for people who don’t have the sort of space traditionally associated with farming available.

Chen explains that before he refined his method, the process of growing exotic mushrooms took two to three months. Now, it takes two to three weeks from beginning to harvest.

The success of his method has sparked interest around the world, with requests for assistance coming from Nigeria, Brazil and New
Zealand.

“But I have made a commitment to Andy and I will concentrate on the expansion project solely in South Africa this year,” Chen said.

Weng and Chen both believe that exotic mushroom farming provides a great opportunity for local farmers.

“The farmers don’t need to spend a lot of money – the amount of investment needed to get going is really quite small,” Weng explained.

He related how a farmer he knows in the Free State has switched from growing traditional crops to cultivating exotic mushrooms.

“The bags of substrate are stacked on shelves, and so it is a much more efficient use of flat farmland than what you get crops like mealies – or with livestock.”

The inland climate in South Africa is best suited to mushroom cultivation, but if air conditioning is used there are no limitations and the same species can be cultivated all year long.

A floor space of 1 000sq/m can produce 30 tons of mushrooms a month.

The mushrooms sell for R70 to R80 per kg wholesale, R150 in supermarkets and R250 processed.

Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa representative Michael Hsu said that he hoped that this technology developed in Taiwan will have a positive impact on South African farmers and the local economy.

“We are always looking for ways in which we can pass on the experience and knowledge of Taiwanese exports to help local businessmen and farmers,” Hsu said.

“Professor Chen’s mushroom cultivation method can have a positive impact in terms of creating more job opportunities and broadens the diet options for South Africans.”