Guwahati, March 30 :     Assam will soon start exporting mushrooms and honey to Bangladesh and the south-east Asian countries. Protein Food, a city-based export firm, has already received orders from buyers in Bangladesh for supply of oyster mushrooms and spawns on a regular basis. Pranjal Baruah, the director of the unit, said they got the order from their first overseas buyer after a buyer-seller meet was organised by the Agricultural and Processed Export Food Products Development Authority (Apeda) on March 13 and 14 at Dhaka. The meet was part of a weeklong trade exhibition organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). The exhibition started on March 9. ?The buyers from Bangladesh and south-east Asian countries have liked our products and have immediately placed their orders,? Baruah, who was present at the fair, said. The first consignment of oyster mushrooms, including spawns, is likely to be despatched in the first week of April while a small consignment of honey is also being despatched to Bangladesh, Baruah said. Baruah said the mushroom was a new product for the people of Bangladesh. ?But, they found it fascinating and immediately placed orders,? he said. The Apeda is an autonomous body under the Union ministry of commerce which has been promoting links between Indian agricultural producers and international buyers. It had selected two entrepreneurs from the Northeast to display their unique products at the exhibition. The export development authority has also been marketing unique agricultural products of the Northeast like orchids, mushrooms, ?Kumol chawl? and ?Bora chawl? (two indigenous varieties of rice) through the Internet. Baruah claimed in addition to buyers from Bangladesh, three importers from Singapore have also collected samples of oyster mushrooms for quality testing and would soon place their demands. ?This is a major success for us as we could woo buyers from across the border during our maiden venture outside the country,? he said. ?This will give a major boost to the agro-based industries in the region,? Baruah said. He added they are now concentrating on increasing the yield of fresh mushrooms to at least 7,000 kg per day from its 500 affiliated farms. Baruah said in order to maintain regular supplies to their overseas buyers, production will have to be increased. ?So far, we have been meeting the demands of our local market,? he said. Protein Food is equipped with a modern laboratory with the latest manufacturing techniques and machinery for mushroom spawn production. Baruah claimed it can produce 500 kg of mushroom spawn per day. Moreover, the unit has also developed techniques for cultivating mushroom round the year. Officer attacked: Commercial tax officer Premanand Mishra was seriously injured after he was attacked at his residence here last night by miscreants armed with swords, reports our Berhampur correspondent. A severely-wounded Mishra was admitted to the MKCG Medical College Hospital and is said to be out of danger now. Mishra said he was alone at his home when he was attacked. The police suspect Mishra may have been targeted because of his attempt to mop up commercial tax of around Rs 1 crore from the city. An attempted dacoity has been ruled out as the miscreants did not take away anything from the house. No arrests have been made so far. ?Rail bus? service: A ?rail bus? service will be introduced for the first time in Orissa on the narrow gauge stretch between Gunupur and Nuapada from the first week of April, reports our Berhampur correspondent. Officials said the service will reduce the expenditure of the railway department.