Increase in domestic mushroom varieties decreases royalties paid overseas

Up until around 10 years ago, South Korea relied on imports for a variety of mushrooms.

However, Korea has now successfully localized mushroom production, even cultivating new varieties, and further reducing the burden of royalties paid overseas.

Cha Yun-kyung tells us more.

The Korean mushroom variety, Aram, which has recently begun to be exported to Southeast Asia, has a golden cap with a crisp texture. Even after it is fully grown, the mushroom cap does not spread and remains small, making harvesting and packaging easy.

Rural Development Administration developed Aram in 2018, targeting markets in Asia. This contains more than twice as many antioxidants called polyphenols, 그리고 GABA, an amino acid which helps regulate nerve activity and relieves stress, similar to the white enoki mushroom.

"We did pilot exports of Aram to Vietnam and Hong Kong, and we received lots of favorable comments, especially for its texture."

The Seolwon variety, which is also called the King Oyster Mushroom, is also a domestic type that is getting attention with its chewy texture. It also has a bigger cap than regular Oyster mushrooms, so it is popular as a high-end cooking ingredient.

So far, the number of mushrooms developed by the Rural Development Administration amounts to 53 varieties of Enoki, Button and Oyster mushrooms.

Thanks to this, the localization rate of mushrooms rose 28-point-1 percentage points over 15 years from 35 percent in 2009 to 63-point-1 percent last year. The royalties paid in foreign countries have thus decreased by more than one-third.

"As the varieties we've developed become available to farmers, they can now cut production costs. We can also save royalties paid overseas on a national level."

The Rural Development Administration is planning to develop more high-quality mushrooms in the near future.

Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.