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Published:
Jun 13, 2017
Keywords:
non-wood forest product
wild edible mushrooms
Pinus ponderosa
timber investment returns
afforestation

Abstract

Since mid last century, approximately 22,700 ha of Pinus spp. have been planted in the Andean region of Chubut, Argentina. Along with these tree species, the edible mushroom Suillus luteus (slippery jack) also proliferates, with a mean dry productivity of 35 kg ha-1 year-1 for this region. The economic exploitation of this product is currently carried out informally, becoming this non-wood forest product a source of additional revenues for low-income families, but it is unknown so far the returns that its exploitation can bring to forest producers, in addition to timber production. Therefore, two objectives were set for this study: to assess the potential of the edible mushrooms S. luteus to improve the profitability of forest producers, and to evaluate the contribution that the collection and sale of this product may represent to the income of rural households. To do this, the revenues and costs associated with tree harvesting and mushrooms drying were incorporated in the cash flow of forest management, estimating the corresponding performance indicators. On the other hand, socio-economic indicators of contributions to family incomes that the informal exploitation of this resource could provide were calculated. Results indicate that it is possible to improve forest producer profitability by selling dry S. luteus only in those plantations with high productivity, as the internal rate of return increases between 5 to 8 %. Rural families would receive more pay per hour worked selling fresh mushrooms, but the total income would be higher selling it dry.

María Victoria Fernández
Carolina Barroetaveña
Vilma Bassani
Fernanda Ríos
Author Biographies

María Victoria Fernández, Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina.

Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, sede Esquel, Chubut, Argentina.

 

Carolina Barroetaveña, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, sede Esquel, Chubut, Argentina.

Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina.

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina.

 

 

How to Cite
Fernández, M. V., Barroetaveña, C., Bassani, V., & Ríos, F. (2017). Proftability of the edible mushroom Suillus luteus exploitation for timber producers and for rural families in the Andean region of Chubut province, Argentina. Revista Bosque, 33(1), 43–52. Retrieved from https://revistabosque.org/index.php/bosque/article/view/694

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