Cheap "foreign" mushrooms flood the market, Ha Tinh mushroom growers are in trouble

Mushrooms are a popular food for consumers in meals. Especially in winter, mushrooms are consumed a lot, so the market supply at this time is very diverse. Surveying at the people's markets in Ha Tinh such as Ha Tinh market, Vuon Uom market (Thanh Sen ward), mushrooms are sold in all kinds: chicken thigh mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, straw mushrooms, button mushrooms...

Foreign mushrooms are sold on vegetable stalls at many traditional markets.

Unlike vegetables, at the local markets, mushrooms are wrapped in plastic bags, many types are carefully packaged but without any information about origin, provenance, or expiration date. When asked about the origin of mushrooms, many sellers affirmed: "I don't know where the mushrooms are from, but all types of mushrooms are good to eat."

Unclear answers leave consumers questioning the origin of products used regularly in meals.

A vendor at Ha Tinh market in Thanh Sen ward did not hesitate to share: "All the mushrooms here come from China, if they didn't come from China, where would we get them to sell to customers?"

Many mushrooms are clearly labeled as Chinese in origin and are cheap.

Currently, king oyster mushrooms at reputable businesses are listed at prices ranging from 110,000 to 120,000 VND/kg; oyster mushrooms: 40,000 to 50,000 VND/kg; lingzhi mushrooms: 800,000 to 1 million VND/kg... However, surprisingly, the "foreign" mushrooms sold at traditional markets are only half the price, or even only 1/3 the price.

According to the standard, common mushrooms can only be stored for 5-7 days after harvest. However, no one can know how long the mushrooms sold in the traditional markets have been on the market. In addition, mushrooms must be stored at a temperature of 1-5 degrees Celsius, but most of the edible mushrooms sold in the market are often stored carelessly in plastic bags.

Many mushrooms are wrapped rather loosely, while others are wrapped tightly.

With such origins and unsafe preservation methods, foreign mushrooms have remained strong in the market for many years due to their low prices. This has made mushroom establishments in the province quite difficult to compete in the market.

Ms. Bui Thi Anh - owner of a mushroom growing facility in Ky Xuan commune said: "Quality mushrooms are the output target of mushroom growers, and the market determines the survival factor of the model. In recent times, in addition to focusing on improving product quality, we have always tried to bring them to the market at the most suitable price. However, the fact that "foreign" mushrooms are flooding the market at very cheap prices, and appeal to the psychology of consumers who love cheap things, makes it difficult for mushroom growing facilities like ours to stand firm."

Mushroom growing models in the area are invested in systematically, produced according to the process transferred from the Department of Science and Technology and often have higher prices than "foreign" mushrooms.

Mr. Le Dang Cuong - Phu Cuong Dat Investment and Development Joint Stock Company (Thach Xuan commune, Ha Tinh) shared: “In the mushroom production process, we follow the standards and techniques transferred from the Department of Science and Technology to ensure the quality of the finished product, the cost is quite high. When we bring mushrooms to the market, we are confident about the quality, but with the selling price of "foreign" mushrooms, it is very difficult to compete. For example, king oyster mushrooms are sold at 40,000 VND/kg, at this price we do not have enough to cover the production cost, let alone profit.”

In the whole province, there are currently nearly 300 mushroom growing models according to the standards of the Department of Science and Technology of Ha Tinh. Competition in the market is inevitable, but it will certainly be easier for mushroom growers when the market only has competition from products with strictly controlled quality. The appearance of cheap "foreign" mushrooms has made it more difficult for mushroom growers to consume.

Edible mushrooms are a good food. However, good mushrooms only work when they are products controlled by standards. Choosing quality mushrooms is a necessary warning for consumers in the current situation of "dirty" food.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/nam-ngoai-gia-re-tran-lan-cho-dan-sinh-nguoi-trong-nam-ha-tinh-lao-dao-post299023.html