It began as a small venture. In 2018, Azniza Mohamed, 53, started growing grey oyster mushrooms in blocks in hopes to make extra income.
Today, she is producing a diverse range of mushroom-based food products. Azniza said that she initially started experimenting with mushroom-based recipes due to a surplus of harvested mushrooms and to avoid wastage.
Her efforts soon paid off as her products gained popularity among customers for their unique and delicious taste.
"I currently produce six types of mushroom-based products – mushroom crackers, popia cendawan carbonara, mushroom nuggets, mushroom murukku, a mushroom dipping sauce and and fermented mushroom or pekasam.
"All of these are made using fresh grey oyster mushrooms that I cultivate myself in blocks,” she said when interviewed by journalists at the Kelantan edition of the Madani Rakyat Programme 2025 recently.
Azniza, from Kampung Danan in Selising, Pasir Puteh, said that grey oyster mushrooms have strong potential for future development, as they can be turned into a variety of food products that cater to local tastes and preferences.
"The demand has been very encouraging, and the Kelantan Mushroom Entrepreneurs’ Cooperative Berhad has also assisted me in marketing the products.
"As many people love grey oyster mushrooms, I plan to expand my offerings to include mushroom sambal and mushroom rendang,” said Azniza, who currently cultivates around 10,000 grey oyster mushrooms at home.
The Kelantan PMR 2025 was spearheaded by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, in collaboration with the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister's Department, with support from various other ministries and government agencies.
The programme offered over 100 direct public services, showcases cutting-edge technologies, and features a range of initiatives aimed at engaging the community. – Bernama
