Pear tree branches are being transformed into mushroom substrates... increasing farm income by replacing imported raw materials.

Utilizing pruning branches from apple and pear orchards as a medium for mushroom cultivation can replace imported materials, leading to a reduction in farm management costs and an increase in yield by up to 9.4%, according to the Rural Development Administration (RDA, Director Lee Seung-don). South Korea, which imports most of its mushroom cultivation materials such as corn cobs (corncob) and sugar beet pulp (beet pulp), faces significant burdens on farm management due to fluctuations in international grain prices and supply and demand situations. Corn cobs are a key material that maintains the physical properties of the medium and provides nutrients, accounting for 30-40% of the composition of oyster mushroom and king oyster mushroom media, while beet pulp accounts for about 10-30% depending on the type. As of 2022, the volume of imported media materials was approximately 110,000 tons, accounting for 61% of the total usage. To improve this, the RDA focused on fruit tree pruning ...