Samman 2024: Story of Mushroom Queen Priti Bhandari

Mushroom Queen Priti Bhandari, a woman entrepreneur from Almora district of Uttarakhand, has scaled new heights in the field of mushroom cultivation. Not only has she established herself in the field, but she has also trained thousands of farmers and youth. Her journey is from a successful startup of ‘Almora Mushrooms’ to receiving national and international acclaim.

Foray into mushroom farming

Priti attended a three-day training program of ICAR-VPKAS in 2016 to learn the nuances of mushroom cultivation. This training inspired her to become self-reliant in this field.

Priti says, “I chose mushroom farming because it is a low-cost high-income business.”

After training, she started mushroom production on a small scale and gradually moved towards processing and making value-added products. Her first product was mushroom pickle, which was highly appreciated in the local market. Preeti says that mushroom farming not only made her self-reliant but also inspired other farmers in this direction.

Today, Preeti is taking her farming to a new dimension and is also making new products like mushroom burger and mushroom momo, which are becoming popular in local and urban markets. She believes that stepping into mushroom farming can bring a new revolution for rural women and youth.

Why did Preeti start a startup?

Preeti established Uttarakhand’s first mushroom startup ‘Almora Mushrooms’ with the support of the District Administration, Almora. Under this, she produces many products related to mushrooms, such as:

1. Mushroom Pickle

2. Mushroom Millet Momo

3. Mushroom Biryani

4. Mushroom Soup

5. Mushroom Burger

6. Mushroom Badi

These products are sold through local markets and online platforms like Zomato.

Training farmers and youth

Preeti has so far trained more than 2000 farmers and youth from Nainital, Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts of Uttarakhand in mushroom cultivation. Her training sessions not only focus on technical aspects but also make farmers aware about market linkages and the benefits of processing.

She said,

“My dream is that every farmer becomes self-reliant and can earn additional income through mushroom cultivation.”

The techniques taught by her have improved the economic condition of many farmers. Today, her trained farmers are not only improving the quality of their crops but are also moving towards organic farming. This initiative of Preeti is inspiring the youth to make a career in the agricultural sector, increasing the inclination of the new generation towards agriculture.

Awards and Achievements

Preeti has received several honours for her work:

1. State Stree Shakti Teelu Rauteli Award (2019-20)

2. Honour for Outstanding Work by ICAR-VPKAS

3. Women Empowerment Award under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyaan

4. IARI Innovative Farmer Award (2024)

5. SDG Goalkeeper Award 2022

Women Empowerment and Social Contribution

Preeti is not just a farmer but a symbol of social change. She has not only trained women but also provided them with self-employment opportunities.

“If women become self-reliant, the entire society will be empowered,” Preeti said.

Her workshops have a large participation of women, where she teaches the techniques of mushroom cultivation as well as its marketing.

Preeti’s startup has become a means of job creation in rural areas. According to her,

“Mushroom farming has not only strengthened my financial position but also increased the income of many families who have adopted it.”

Her startup generates a revenue of around Rs 10 lakh every year, providing new employment opportunities in her community. Apart from this, women and youth are motivated for self-employment by training them in her production unit. Preeti believes that more than 200 rural women have become self-reliant due to her efforts so far. She is also working on starting new ventures related to processing and packaging of mushroom products, which will benefit more people.

Expectations and plans from the government

Although Preeti has not availed any government scheme so far, she believes that if the government provides special subsidy and marketing support to mushroom producers, then this industry can grow even faster.

Future plans

Preeti wants to take her success to greater heights. She plans to set up a mushroom processing unit and reach her products to the international market. She also wants to work on mushroom-based health supplements and organic protein products. Apart from this, she is planning to organize workshops and camps to promote the concept of mushroom tourism in Uttarakhand. Her aim is that more and more farmers of the state adopt this technology and become self-reliant. She is also considering starting a mobile training van to spread new techniques related to mushroom production in every village. 

Preeti Bhandari’s story is not just the success story of a woman entrepreneur, but an example of self-reliance, innovation and empowerment in rural India. Her hard work and innovation have proved that big changes can be brought about despite limited resources.

Preeti’s message is,

“If you want to do something new, don’t be afraid to take risks. With hard work and the right guidance, anything is possible.”