Young scientist grows organic shiitake mushrooms in Nagaland

Dr Sosang Longkumer with the shiitake mushrooms, which he says are grown in the natural environment and on wood makes its nourishment value even higher.

Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 9

Dr Sosang Longkumer, Senior scientific officer, ALON MPCS Limited Nagaland has successfully cultivated and produced exotic shiitake mushrooms in Nagaland. Sharing about his achievement, Dr Longkumer said that it took a whole year to experiment and achieve the final result.

The exotic shiitake mushrooms are grown in the natural environment and on wood which makes its nourishment value even higher, he informed while adding that the spawns to propagate the mushrooms were also developed by him.

“The relentless research, hard work and experimenting on my spawn creation finally comes to fruition. I am so elated to see the exotic shiitake mushrooms in full bloom in Nagaland through my spawns. Hoping this brings a new chapter of shiitake mushroom farming in Nagaland,” stated an elated Longkumer who is currently based in Dimapur.

 
Since the shiitake mushroom is grown in very small quantities in India, the demand for it is mostly made through imports from East Asia. “As a result, the cost of 200 gram fresh shiitake mushroom is as high as Rs. 300 in Nagaland,” he said. 

Dr Longkumer said that he has no plan of getting into mass production for market consumption but instead he is imparting training to mushroom farmers and students which according him will be “more beneficial for all.” 

The shiitake mushroom is an excellent edible and medicinal mushroom which can be easily grown either for commercial purpose or for home consumption. It is also the second most popular and the third most widely cultivated edible mushroom in the world.