Abstract

Mushroom cultivation in Korea was launched in the early 1960's. At that time Korean government started a program for increasing cultivation of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and oak mushroom (Lentinula edodes) to export agricultural products and to increase farm income. National research institutes under Rural Development Administration, Korea Forest Service, etc. play a leading role in mushroom industry as follows : Development and spread of genetically superior commercial strains, good spawns, and cultivation techniques. Training and field advice to lead farmers for mass production of high quality mushrooms. Political support of facilities and establishments for mushroom cultivation. Several mushrooms including oak mushroom, button mushroom, oyster mushroom, winter mushroom, Ganoderma, P. eryngii, etc. have been popularized for their cultivation techniques and produced in large quantities in the farm. According to a recent statistics, mushrooms have been grown by about 20,000 farm households, in Korea and the gross production of fresh mushrooms is estimated about 170,000 M/T. The gross production of oyster mushroom is the highest followed by winter mushroom, oak mushroom and button mushroom. The gross amount of mushroom production stands over 700 billion won. Thus, mushroom industry goes to the most important cash crop to be produced yearly.

한국의 버섯재배는 1960년대 초에 정부에서 농산물 수출과 농민의 소득을 증대시키기 위하여 양송이와 표고의 증산계획을 세워 시작하였다. 농촌진흥청 산림청 등 국가 연구기관에서는 유전적 소질이 우수한 품종의 육성, 양질의 종균보급, 고품질 버섯을 대량생산하는 기술을 개발하고 농민에게 재배기술을 교육하고 현지 지도를 하였으며, 재배시설비 등을 정책적으로 지원하였다. 재배방법이 개발되어 농가에서 대량으로 생산하기 시작한 버섯종류는 표고, 양송이, 느타리버섯, 팽이, 영지, 큰느타리버섯 등이다. 현재 버섯을 재배하는 농가는 약 2만호, 생 버섯의 총 생산량은 약 17만톤으로 느타리버섯이 가장 많고 다음이 팽이, 표고, 양송이 순으로 많다. 버섯의 총 농업생산액은 7,000억원을 넘으며, 연중생산이 가능한 농가의 중요한 소득작목으로 발전하였다.

Keywords

• Mushroom cultivation;
• Productivity;
• Rural Development Administration;
• Korea Forest Service