Pakistan's foremost fruit and vegetable exporter, Shahid Sultan, has ventured into the mushroom sector, initiating the country's first industrial-scale production with a $6 million investment aimed at enhancing the "Made in Pakistan" brand on the global stage. According to Sultan, amidst a backdrop of modern farms mushrooming across the nation, his SunGold Mushrooms farm stands out as the largest, boasting its own spawn production lab and state-of-the-art facilities. The farm's annual yield reaches between 2000 to 2500 tons, with daily outputs ranging from 3 to 4 tons.
The global mushroom market, which stood at $66.53 billion in 2024, sees minimal contribution from Pakistan, a situation Sultan is keen on changing. He highlighted a significant growth in the market size from $61.33 billion in 2023 to $66.53 billion in 2024, marking an 8.5% CAGR. With a focus on reducing Pakistan's mushroom imports through boosted exports, Sultan aims to leverage the mushroom sector as a means of economic upliftment amidst widespread industrial and business decline.
Referred to locally as "Khumbi," mushroom cultivation is seen as a burgeoning agricultural venture with potential for international market penetration. However, its growth is hampered by limited support from both private and public sectors, attributed to the high costs associated with infrastructure development. Echoing Sultan's sentiments, the Chairman of the Indonesia and Pakistan Business Council (IPBC), Ahmed Sultan, underscored the mushroom industry's future potential to contribute significantly to Pakistan's foreign exchange through diversification in exports and commodities.
Source: APP