Simbiosis, the social startup that produces edible mushrooms, shipped its first cargo with a final destination of France thanks to the support of the state program Agroideas of the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation, whose goal is to increase small- and medium-scale farmers’ competitiveness.

The project won the PERUMIN Inspira award in 2019. PERUMIN Inspira is a contest meant for social startups that make an impact on the Peruvian highlands. The prizes are seed capital from Poderosa mining company, and advice and dissemination from the International Potato Center (CIP) and Kunan.

Simbiosis is an initiative located in the village of Piedra Parada, district of Incahuasi, province of Ferreñafe, region of Lambayeque, at over 3,200 m.a.s.l. They are devoted to the harvesting, drying, and commercializing edible mushrooms that come from sustainable plantations of insignis pine.

César Huamán, founder of Simbiosis, explained that the mushroom plant adheres to the root of the pine through a symbiosis mechanism, causing the sprouting of large mushrooms with 30-cm-diameter caps, which are appreciated by European consumers.

Moreover, he stated that this year they will also export mushrooms to Spain, Brazil, and Argentina, and expect to add other destinations in the coming years. This initiative benefits 320 families from the district of Incahuasi and 1200 families at a national level, specifically from the regions of Lambayaque, La Libertad, Cajamarca, Apurímac, Cusco, Amazonas, and Junín.

Simbiosis has created employment for approximately 50 women who are associates of the Piedra Parada community. They go into the pine forests to cut and collect mushrooms, and then leave them to dry on one of the 39 solar dryers installed in the village.

Afterwards, the mushrooms are sent to a modern plant in Ferreñafe, where straw and fine dust are removed. Later, the best mushrooms are selected, dehydrated and, finally, packed into 15-kilo bags. Daily production is 400 kilos.

In the processing plant, 70% of the workforce is made up of women, who, with their salaries, pay for their professional studies. An example of this is María Suero, a Quechua-speaking woman who is studying primary education.

Daniel Saint-Pere, manager of Inkatrail, is the person behind the first shipment of edible mushrooms produced by Simbiosis Perú to Europe. He traveled inside a 20-foot container with a maximum capacity of 6 tons, packed into 400 bags of 15 kilos each.

Recently, Asociación Micológica Simbiosis Perú have signed six agreements with the Con Punche Perú program of the Ministry of Economy and Finance for the direct export of edible mushrooms to the European market, for a total amount of PEN 545,600 and the benefit of 31 families.

Adriana Zavalaga, a nutritionist at Smile Train, highlighted that edible mushrooms have 25 grams of proteins, an amount that is similar to that of a chicken or fish fillet and that is vital for growth and muscle recovery. They are also a good source of minerals and vitamins, such as iron and potassium.