Mushroom farming is a good extra income option for farmers, women self help groups and rural youth because it needs little land and uses farm waste such as straw. Here is a beginner’s guide.
Main types grown in India
- **White button mushroom:** the most widely sold. It needs prepared compost and cool temperatures, around 14 to 18 degrees Celsius during fruiting, so it is grown in winter in the plains or in controlled rooms.
- **Oyster mushroom (dhingri):** the easiest for beginners. It grows on chopped and treated wheat or paddy straw, at roughly 20 to 30 degrees Celsius.
- **Milky mushroom:** suited to warmer areas.
- **Paddy straw mushroom:** grown in warm and humid areas.
Basic setup
You need a clean, shaded room or shed with good air flow, control of humidity, and racks or hanging space. Thatched huts are used in many villages for oyster mushrooms.
Steps for oyster mushroom
- Chop wheat or paddy straw into small pieces.
- Soak it in water and treat it, using hot water or a recommended chemical method, to kill unwanted fungi.
- Drain the straw to the right moisture level.
- Mix it with spawn (mushroom seed) from a reliable lab and fill it in polythene bags.
- Keep the bags in a dark, humid room for spawn run, which takes a few weeks.
- Make small holes or remove the bag when white growth covers the straw, and keep humidity high.
- Harvest when mushrooms are fully grown but the edges have not curled.
Each bag can give two or three flushes. Used straw can be turned into compost.
Also Read: Mustard Farming Guide for Rabi: Sowing Time, Seed Rate, Irrigation and Pest Control Tips | Potato Farming Guide: Planting Time, Seed Tubers, Earthing Up and Blight Control for Higher Yield
Hygiene matters
Contamination by moulds and pests is the main problem. Keep the room clean, use clean water, wear clean clothes and avoid letting visitors handle bags.
Selling
Fresh mushrooms spoil quickly, so plan sales to local vegetable markets, hotels and shops in advance. Dried oyster mushrooms, pickles and powder add value.
Training and support
The ICAR Directorate of Mushroom Research in Solan, state agricultural universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras run training courses. Under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), support may be available for mushroom units, spawn labs and compost units, subject to state guidelines.
Advice for farmers
Before sowing, selling or storing your crop, check the latest information with your district agriculture department, Krishi Vigyan Kendra or mandi committee.
Bottom line
Start small with oyster mushrooms, learn hygiene and spawn handling through training, and build a local market before expanding.
Source / स्रोत: ICAR Directorate of Mushroom Research, Solan, National Horticulture Board
