SLEEPY HAMLET NO MORE
find his way blindfolded!
He tells me that the owner of the estate we’re heading to numbers among the few rubber smallholders in northern Kedah who had recently participated in the Volvariella mushroom cultivation programme conducted by the Mushroom Development and Production Centre (PPPC) in Padang Terap. The centre is managed by the Kampung Padang Nyior village cooperative and receives technical assistance from the district Agriculture Department.
As we reach the estate, he waves at the rows of rubber trees and encourages me to go on a mushroom hunt. “You’ll be able to find them easily... they’re everywhere!” he assures me with a grin.
Walking gingerly, I begin scouring the ground to look for the prized fungi. To my utter amazement, he is right — they seem to be growing everywhere! The haphazard rows of the now easily identifiable mushroom plots speak volumes about the commitment of the participants of the mushroom cultivation programme towards this novel venture.
“Most rubber estate smallholders face a lot of tough challenges especially in recent years,” shares Fitri, before adding: “It’s good for them to diversify.” The price of rubber has been on a steady decline since February 2011, says Fitri. He grows serious as he tells me that the commodity is worth less than half of what it used to command six years ago. To make matters worse, many small holders have to contend with middlemen who regularly give them a raw deal by paying below fair value for their produce.
His face brightens a little when he starts talking about the locals who have reaped good profits from this new venture. Although Volvariella mushrooms are found naturally in tropical and subtropical countries, its propagation on
Thanks to the innovative research staff at PPPC, Volvariella mushroom cultivators in Padang Terap are the first in the world to use discarded oil palm bunches as base culture medium. Previously these oil palm bunches were just thrown away after the fruits had been removed for oil extraction.
“Today, the local mushroom farmers are playing their part in helping to recycle the refuse and at the same time put them to good use,” discloses Fitri. He tells me that the only setback is that the oil palm bunches have to be washed thoroughly