With mushroom farming thriving across the Bicol region, the waste after harvesting the crop is a concern. On the other hand, the price of fish feed is becoming costly. The good news is that researchers from Partido State University are now exploring an answer for these two issues—an innovative way to turn mushroom farming waste, or spent mushroom substrate (SMS), into fish feed for tilapia aquaculture. SMS is the leftover material used after mushrooms have been harvested. This organic mix, usually made from crop residues and fungal mycelia, or the vegetative structures of fungi, is typically considered as agricultural waste.

Ramoran, R. B. (2025, September 14). Mushroom farming residues being repurposed, developed as fish feed. BusinessMirror, p. A5.