Penjwen mushroom factory flourishes

PENJWEN, December 11 — A mushroom factory in Sulaymaniyah’s Penjwen district produces two tons of mushrooms each day.

Sarwar Kazim, the factory’ manager, envisions further development of the facility’s products, setting the stage for potential exports.

Approximately ten mushroom factories operate in the Kurdistan Region, primarily catering to local markets. Kazim told 964 that his factory sells 15,000 cartons of mushrooms each month.

Highlighting the cultivation process, Kazim explained that the mushrooms undergo a 31-day maturation period, followed by a 21-day harvesting phase. Post-harvest, the production halls are cleaned to pave the way for new mushrooms.

Established in 2013, the Penjwen mushroom factory prices each carton of mushrooms between 9,000 and 12,000 dinars.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Kurdistan Region’s mushroom factories collectively produce over 5,000 tons annually, surpassing domestic needs of 1.5 tons. The surplus is usually shipped south to fulfill demand in other Iraqi governorates.