182
11.3.1.9 Spore Suppliers
The spore business is generally a household enterprise. There are spore multipliers
(suppliers) and spore agents. The agents buy spores from the suppliers who deliver
them to the mushroom growers. There are perhaps as many as four spore suppliers
in CTC and Dong Thap. They multiply spores (second or third generation) from
pure spores. The challenges for suppliers are a general lack of (1) pure spore sources
and (2) techniques to maintain spore quality, especially during the rainy season.
11.3.1.10 RSM Production
RSMs are produced by both rice farmers and mushroom growers. Some rice farmers
make use of their own rice straw to produce the mushrooms. They often produce up
to three mushroom cycles per year after harvesting rice. Mushroom growers are
farmers who grow as many as six or seven RSM cycles annually. Outdoor mushroom growing (see Chap. 6) prevails in the area; little indoor growing is being done.
Consumers prefer white-colored over dark-colored mushrooms. For producing
white RSM, the growing beds require higher quantities of rice straw, which increases
costs by 20–30%.
11.3.1.11 External Agents and Remaining Knowledge Gaps
These actors include local authorities, extension specialists with the Department of
Agricultural and Rural Development and universities who provide services by introducing improved RSM production practices, and other institutes that conduct
research. In addition, banks give loans to mushroom growers and other agents of the
mushroom subsectors. Unfortunately, the contributions of these enablers to the
development of RSM value chains in CTC and Dong Thap are insignificant. Even
though the central government has recently issued regulations to support this subsector, insufficient research is being conducted on RSM value chains.
Thus, knowledge gaps remain in terms of improving RSM productivity, adding
value, enhancing spore production and mushroom storage systems, and developing
new RSM products. Technology transfer, mainly from the government, is very slow
due to the lack of finance and the resistance to change among mushroom growers
and other agents in the RSM subsector.
11.3.2 Economic Analysis
Figure 11.3 visualizes the annual farm-gate price trend of fresh RSM sold at harvest
to fresh and processed-RSM markets in the MRD in 2015–2016 (Truc et al. 2017).
Farm-gate prices are unstable due to annual fluctuations in demand generated by
M. Demont et al.
11.3.1.9 Spore Suppliers
The spore business is generally a household enterprise. There are spore multipliers
(suppliers) and spore agents. The agents buy spores from the suppliers who deliver
them to the mushroom growers. There are perhaps as many as four spore suppliers
in CTC and Dong Thap. They multiply spores (second or third generation) from
pure spores. The challenges for suppliers are a general lack of (1) pure spore sources
and (2) techniques to maintain spore quality, especially during the rainy season.
11.3.1.10 RSM Production
RSMs are produced by both rice farmers and mushroom growers. Some rice farmers
make use of their own rice straw to produce the mushrooms. They often produce up
to three mushroom cycles per year after harvesting rice. Mushroom growers are
farmers who grow as many as six or seven RSM cycles annually. Outdoor mushroom growing (see Chap. 6) prevails in the area; little indoor growing is being done.
Consumers prefer white-colored over dark-colored mushrooms. For producing
white RSM, the growing beds require higher quantities of rice straw, which increases
costs by 20–30%.
11.3.1.11 External Agents and Remaining Knowledge Gaps
These actors include local authorities, extension specialists with the Department of
Agricultural and Rural Development and universities who provide services by introducing improved RSM production practices, and other institutes that conduct
research. In addition, banks give loans to mushroom growers and other agents of the
mushroom subsectors. Unfortunately, the contributions of these enablers to the
development of RSM value chains in CTC and Dong Thap are insignificant. Even
though the central government has recently issued regulations to support this subsector, insufficient research is being conducted on RSM value chains.
Thus, knowledge gaps remain in terms of improving RSM productivity, adding
value, enhancing spore production and mushroom storage systems, and developing
new RSM products. Technology transfer, mainly from the government, is very slow
due to the lack of finance and the resistance to change among mushroom growers
and other agents in the RSM subsector.
11.3.2 Economic Analysis
Figure 11.3 visualizes the annual farm-gate price trend of fresh RSM sold at harvest
to fresh and processed-RSM markets in the MRD in 2015–2016 (Truc et al. 2017).
Farm-gate prices are unstable due to annual fluctuations in demand generated by
M. Demont et al.