Know how Ajay Kumar Yadav is cultivating button mushrooms in Bihar with new technology

Protein-rich mushroom cultivation has become very popular among farmers in the last few years and the biggest reason for this is the huge profits it gives. Mushrooms have become famous not only among the urban people but also among the villagers and seeing its increasing demand, farmers are cultivating button mushrooms on a large scale. Farmer Ajay Kumar Yadav of Phulwaria village in Saran (Chapra) district of Bihar also fulfilled his dream of becoming a businessman through button mushroom cultivation.

How he is growing mushrooms throughout the year with the help of new technology and how he is motivating and guiding the youth for its cultivation, Kisan of India correspondent Sarvesh Bundeli discussed all these issues with him in detail.

Interested in business since childhood

Regarding starting button mushroom cultivation, Ajay Kumar Yadav says that he has studied political science, but since childhood he has been interested in business. He used to get information about the surrounding area through newspapers and news channels and thought of doing something that would provide employment to the people here as well.

That is why he started growing button mushrooms from 2019. Through this, he wants to strengthen the rural infrastructure of his state, wants more and more people to get employment and improve their standard of living. Today Ajay Kumar is giving employment to 30-40 people and has also become a big businessman by producing around 200 tonnes of mushrooms in a year.

Where did you get your training from

Ajay Yadav has taken training before doing button mushroom cultivation. Regarding this, he says that once an article by Mushroom Man Dayanand Sir was published in the newspaper, after reading which he took training from Pusa University and started mushroom production work. To start this business, Ajay Yadav took a loan from the bank and invested some of his own capital.

Difference between traditional and high-tech technology

Usually mushroom cultivation is done only in the winter season, because mushrooms cannot bear high temperatures, but thanks to modern technology, farmers can grow mushrooms throughout the year by controlling the temperature in a closed room. Regarding this, Ajay Kumar Yadav says that in the traditional way, button mushroom cultivation can be done only in winter i.e. from November to February.

While with the help of scientific technology, button mushrooms can be grown throughout the year by controlling the temperature, which will give income to the farmers throughout the year. Ajay Yadav says that he grows mushrooms in both the ways, due to which he gets a production of about 300 tonnes annually. 

Mushroom production process

Just like for crop cultivation, the farmer first prepares the field and sows the crop by adding fertilizer and water, the same process is followed in mushroom production, the only difference is that it is not grown in the fields, but it is cultivated in a closed room. First of all, compost is prepared scientifically, then sowing is done by making a bed, i.e. spawning. The temperature at the time of spawning is 26-27 degrees. After spawning, cocofit is cased, ruffling is done. In the production process, the temperature is gradually reduced. Production starts after 35 days of mushroom spawning.

No market or marketing problem

One of the specialties of Ajay Kumar Yadav’s business is that he does not have to go far to sell his goods. His marketing chain is so good that most of his mushrooms are sold locally. He tells that up to 3 quintals are sold per day in Saran itself. Apart from this, they also send mushrooms to districts like Ara, Motihari, Muzaffarpur and the remaining is sent to Siliguri and Patna. There is no problem of market for them. He says that production is high in winters, because this season is very favorable for growing mushrooms.

The demand for seasonal mushrooms is very high and its rate also goes down a bit at this time. Actually, local cart vendors do not have AC, they keep mushrooms in the open, but due to the cold weather, it does not get spoiled. If the small farmers who are associated with them also face any problem in selling mushrooms, then they solve their market problem.

Gave employment to many people

Many small farmers are associated with Ajay Kumar Yadav’s mushroom firm. He tells that when he makes manure in the season, many small farmers take the manure from here and grow mushrooms. Not only this, farmers take the waste that is left and put it in their fields, because it works as organic fertilizer.

Ajay Kumar tells that 10-15 traders are also directly associated with his firm, who take the goods from here and sell them directly. He has given employment to 40-50 people, in which a large number of women are there. That is, he is making women self-reliant. He further tells that the farmers who take fertilizer from him, who remain connected with him and if their goods do not sell, then he sends it to Siliguri, that is, the farmers do not have to worry about marketing.

They also provide training

Ajay Kumar Yadav says that he also provides training to farmers and students. Last year, 3 students from Ranchi University came and went after a 2-month training. Students from many universities come here and take training.

Changed people’s perspective

Ajay Kumar tells about his early days that when he started working, people said that who will eat mushrooms worth Rs. 200 per kg, when no one eats green vegetables worth Rs. 30. Initially there were problems, but gradually people’s perspective changed when they came to know about the nutritional value of mushrooms. Now the people who take mushrooms, they themselves promote it. Many people in the vicinity have started producing mushrooms after being influenced by Ajay Kumar.

Future plan

Ajay Kumar intends to not only expand his business in the future, but he also wants to do a lot more. He says, “I have struggled, so the next 10 years will be mine.”

Power problems

24-hour electricity is required for button mushroom cultivation with scientific technology, but there is a little problem of electricity in his area. Regarding this, he tells that when the power goes off, he has kept a Digi. Due to which the price of mushrooms increases and their profit decreases. If electricity is available 24 hours a day, the profit will increase.

Message to youth

Ajay Kumar tells the youth, especially the youth of Bihar, that they mustered courage and started work after taking training from somewhere. Not only mushrooms, you can grow something else as well, because there is a lot of space in Bihar. There will be some difficulty in the beginning, but believe that the coming time will be yours.