The Tay Nguyen Institute of Biology in Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong has completed a trial production project for Bunashimeji, a kind of mushroom originating in Japan.

According to the institute’s test results, the product’s shape as well as protein, fibrous matter, and lipids content are similar to those imported from Japan and China .

From now until June 2010, the institute will introduce production technologies for the mushroom and cultivate it on a large scale in Di Linh, Duc Trong and Lam Ha districts in the province.

Lam Dong-grown Bunashimeji are expected to be sold at a cost of 40,000 VND per kg by mid-2011, while similar products imported from Japan and China are sold at 100,000-200,000 VND per kg.

The Vietnamese people eat an average of one tonne of bunashimeji per day, however, this product is mostly imported from Japan and China .

According to some Japanese medical research, after being processed, the mushroom may be used to treat several diseases including high blood pressure and cancer./.