Growing mushrooms to boost revenue
Project to help low-income families be independent, says Chong
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth will work with a company to help 20 low-income families grow abalone mushrooms, said its chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon.
He added that the movement’s Koperasi Petani Muda Malaysia (KPMM) would be working with Agrogembira Sdn Bhd in the venture. The firm had pledged 10,000 mushroom spawn bags and would help teach candidates how to grow, cultivate, package and sell them.
Chong, who is KPMM chairman, said the mushrooms could sell for up to RM12 a kg and demand had increased drastically in the past decade.
“In 2000, our export of abalone mushroom was only RM12mil but it rose to RM67mil in 2010. Domestic demand is expected to increase to RM300mil by 2020.
“We will be giving 500 bags to each family identified. With good management, we believe they can have a steady income every month from just growing mushrooms,” he told a press conference at Wisma MCA.
Chong said the mushrooms in each bag would take between seven and 10 days to mature and can be harvested six to eight times.
“Each cycle will take 45 days and the mushrooms in the 500 bags are expected to be able to generate an income of RM1,750.”
Chong also said that if a family chose to re-invest in another 500 bags of mushrooms (costing RM1,250) after the harvest, it could still make a net profit of RM500 each month.
The project would help supplement the RM300 in welfare funds they received every month.
“We hope more private companies can pledge their support to help poor and low-income families. This plan may help them gain independence instead of having to depend merely on cash aid,” he said.
Businesses interested in supporting the project can contact KPMM via 03-7972 9819 or at KPMMalaysia@gmail.com.
Each cycle will take 45 days and the mushrooms in the 500 bags are expected to generate an income of RM1,750. Datuk Chong Sin Woon