THE Philippines has massive potential to tap both booming export and growing domestic markets for enoki mushrooms, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.
In an interview, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. cited several countries with high demand for enoki.
“If we can produce more because I think we have the land, we have the capability, nandiyan ang Korea, nandiyan Hong Kong (there’s Korea and Hong Kong),” Laurel said at the sidelines of a market inspection at New Las Piñas City Public Market.
He said Singapore, some parts of China, and the Middle East are also considered potential markets. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. cited the trade potential of enoki mushrooms for international markets during his fifth State of the Nation Address.
In addition to promising export opportunities, a steadily rising local market presents another lucrative avenue for domestic enoki mushroom production.
“Tingin ko ‘yung consumption din natin sa Pilipinas lalaki dahil ang sarap ng enoki mushroom, balutan mo ng bacon (I think, the consumption in the Philippines will further grow because enoki mushroom tastes good, wrapped in bacon),” Laurel said.
In a year, the Philippines logs about 6,200 metric tons (MT) of imported enoki mushrooms to meet local demand alone. Laurel said that while global demand is high, the country currently relies on a single modern facility producing local enoki in the country.
To scale up production and capture these export and domestic markets, he urged eligible farmers to avail themselves of the government’s credit programs.
“Farmers can go to the Agricultural Credit Policy Council to do the regular agri(cultural) credit programs and pasok naman ito kasi mushroom din iyan (and this is included since it’s also mushroom),” Laurel told the Philippine News Agency in a separate WhatsApp message.
He said enoki farming can succeed in any part of the country, provided there is equipment.
“Anywhere is OK, actually, as long as may gamit (there’s equipment)– but better cooler areas,” he added. / PNA
