National President, National Mushroom Growers Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Michael Awunor, has said that the global market for mushrooms is growing exponentially as the market is estimated at $45.3billion in 2020 and projected to reach $72.5 billion by 2027.
He disclosed this at the 1st National Mushroom Summit/Exhibition with the theme: “Harnessing the nation’s non-oil commodities through the development of mushroom value chain”, Awuno said the mushroom sub-sector, if properly developed along the value chain, could provide 10 million skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled jobs to the teeming unemployed graduate’s vulnerable people, youth and women.
He explained that the growing market for mushrooms is due to the rising global awareness for healthy foods which made mushrooms a highly preferred substitute for meals in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
He added that the National Mushroom Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria was formed and nurtured by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investments in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission as an entity.