Digital Mushroom Conclave: Know tips about mushroom production

On 28th February 2022, ‘Kisaan of India’ organized the first digital conclave ‘Mushroom – Increase Income with mushroom production’. In this program, we talked to many well-known mushroom producers from various parts of the country and learned about production, processing, market, and challenges. The Digital Conclave was conducted in four sessions. In the first session, my colleague Parmendra Mohan discussed with experts about opportunities and employment in agri-startups.

In the second session, I talked to women mushroom growers about their role in production. In the third session, my colleague Arpit Dubey interacted with the special guests on the varieties and processing of mushrooms. In the last and fourth sessions, Gaurav Manral discussed the availability of seeds and their market with the mushroom growers.

Direct Talk with Mushroom Ladies of India

In the second session, I interacted with women mushroom growers. Roshni from Uttarakhand, Annu Kanwar from Rajasthan, and Anita Devi from Bihar spoke on increasing the participation of women in mushroom production. All three are promoting and training mushroom production in their respective areas. They associated many rural and tribal women with them and worked on making them self-reliant through knowledge and information.

Anita Devi – ‘Mushroom Lady of Bihar’

Anita Devi of Anantapur village located in Chandipur block of Nalanda district is a famous name of her district. She is called the ‘Mushroom Lady’ of Bihar. In a conversation with Anita Devi, she said that there was a time when her financial condition was not good.

A graduate degree holder, looked for a job after completing her studies but was disappointed everywhere. Then she thought of getting into the business related to agriculture. In the conclave, she said that she started looking for such an agribusiness, which the whole family could do together. Devi participated in the two-day seminar organized in Ranchi, where she gained knowledge about mushroom production. She discussed the business perspective with her family and decided to pursue mushroom cultivation.

For her training, she went to Uttarakhand’s Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Institute and Krishi Vigyan Kendra. The ten-day training equipped her with the latest technology and she brought mushroom seeds and started cultivation in her village. Initially, when she started the production, she suffered losses. However, with guidance from scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, she reworked her mistakes. Soon, she became successful.

Gradually, she invited other women of the village to join her and grew her business on a large scale. She gave them training and mushroom seeds and bought the ready crop product for market sale. She says that mushroom production does not require farmland. The women produce crops within the periphery of their homes and the mushroom business has become a viable business opportunity for them.

What are the things to keep in mind in mushroom production?

Anita Devi told that proper cleanliness and hygiene should be maintained for the growth of mushrooms. Otherwise, there might be a risk of getting disease and infection. The prescribed parameters need to be followed for good production, and producers should have proper knowledge of spawn and straw. Further, she adds that it is important to check the quality of straw from time to time. Most of the time due to rain or other reasons the straw becomes wet and turns red or even black. Therefore, it is important to keep the straw clean and fresh.

Roshni showed a new path to women and youth with her steps

Roshni, a mushroom grower from the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, is working to promote mushroom cultivation in her area. Roshni has worked to show the path of self-employment to the women and youth of this mountainous region through mushroom farming. In the conclave, Roshni said that the means of employment in rural areas are not much. Especially for women, the options are limited. Women have to take care of household responsibilities, and they can produce mushrooms in their homes. This option gives the opportunity to generate income and take care of their homes as well.

What are the problems faced in agriculture?

She narrated that the menace of wild animals is prevalent in Uttarakhand. The wild animals damage the crops and cause loss to farmers.  In mushroom production, there are no such fears, as the production is done in a closed room. Further, she says that if the farmers work hard in mushroom production, there’s a lot of scope for self-employment and it may also reduce the problem of migration.

Annu Kanwar prepared composed in 10 days

Another guest speaker at the conclave, Annu Kanwar from Rajasthan shared her insights and experiences. Talking about her initial days, she said that finding a good market for the product was a difficult part. Mushroom perishes quickly, therefore, she started producing bi-products of mushroom. Due to the non-availability of good markets, farmers are forced to sell the produce at a lower price. Through processing and making a by-product of mushrooms, farmers are able to fetch an uncompromised prices. Annu Kanwar is also associated with research work on mushrooms. She told ‘Farmers of India’ that she is working on preparing compost that can be ready in 10 days. Usually, it takes 28 days to prepare compost, and she is planning to patent her compost-making formula. This research is the result of her 10 years of hard work.

Also Read: Lilium Cultivation: Amenla of Nagaland made her hobby business, know what is special in Lilium flower

Health Benefits of Mushroom

Talking about the benefits of mushrooms, she said it strengthens immunity and is considered a natural antibiotic. Mushroom is a rich source of protein, vitamins, and fibers and is effective in combating many serious diseases.

You can watch the complete conversation with ‘Mushroom Ladies of India’ on our youtube channel. We will continue to organize conclave on mushroom production, and if you have any queries related to the production, processing, and market of mushroom cultivation, please send us on the number below.