Teacher turned entrepreneur extols virtues of mushrooms as unexplored commodity

KOTA KINABALU – A former primary school teacher here hopes that the public and the government will see that mushrooms can be one of the most profitable cash crops in Sabah. 

Soon Kok Leong, 40, started venturing into mushroom farming in 2013, but it started as a charity project.  

At the time, he was a primary school teacher in a rural school in Tamparuli where he saw many families of his students were financially struggling, especially single mothers.  

He then started a project to help them earn more income – the mushroom project. 

The project not only helped the locals to earn more income, but it also opened his eyes to the huge potential behind the business.

Soon then ventured into mushroom farming and business himself, and quit his job as a teacher which he had for 17 years, to focus full-time on farming when the pandemic began in 2019.  

Now, Soon owns Cendawan Cerah Sdn Bhd which produces about 900 kg of grey oyster mushrooms per month and is distributed locally in Sabah, including supermarkets.  

However, he said he hopes to share his knowledge and visions in mushroom farming with other Sabahans. 

“The mushroom industry in Sabah is left far behind compared to other states in Malaysia. I found out that mushroom is the fastest-growing agricultural product.  

“Many countries like China, Indonesia, and even Africa use mushroom projects to reduce poverty,” he told The Vibes at his mushroom farm in Tamparuli, recently.  

He said that 95% of mushrooms sold in grocery stores and supermarkets in Sabah are imported. 

“Additionally, when choosing an agriculture product, we must make sure that it can be processed into downstream products so that it can be value-added. Mushrooms have this potential,” he added.  

Soon is currently producing and supplying mushroom logs for those who want to start mushroom farming.  

Contrary to what many might believe, mushroom farming does not necessarily need to be done in a place with cold weather. He said unlike highland mushrooms (such as shiitake and white oyster mushrooms that are grown in Kundasang), lowland mushrooms only need high humidity to grow, which can be artificially created.  

Soon explained that mushroom farming can be done even at home as mushroom logs can be stacked and do not need a lot of space.  

“It only takes less than a week before one could start harvesting mushrooms from the logs,” he added. 

Currently, in Sabah, he said, the mushroom market is not as competitive as vegetables, and lowland oyster mushrooms have a high market value at RM20 to RM25 per kg.  

“Mushrooms are high-nutrition food. So I wish more farmers will participate in mushroom farming to ensure sufficient mushroom supply in Sabah. The mushroom growing industry in Sabah is still in an early stage, so the opportunity is huge,” he said.

Unafraid of competition, Soon encourages others to venture into mushroom farming and has been helpful to new farmers by offering them guidance and assistance, and sharing his knowledge when needed.  

When asked why he was keen to help other mushroom farmers, he said the only way for the mushroom industry to grow in Sabah is when a community “come together, learn together, and grow together”.  

Last year, he also helped a primary school, SK Lok Yuk Inanam to set up a mini mushroom farm called My Little Mushroom Cottage which had met the Green Flag Award Eco School – WWF international standard.  

Soon said it is time for the government to see the potential of lowland mushroom farming, as food security has become an important issue in Sabah, especially after the pandemic.  

“So far when it comes to mushroom farming, the government has only been looking at Kundasang (highland mushroom). Lowland mushroom has higher quality and can last longer, and more people can participate in farming mushroom. The government should look into this,” he added. 

For the future, Soon is looking into growing other types of mushrooms.  

He has been studying abalone mushrooms, black fungus, lingzhi (ganoderma), lion's mane mushrooms, and tiger milk mushrooms, and he has his own laboratory for this purpose. – The Vibes, January 31, 2023.