Mushroom farming in India for small farmers

Mushroom farming in India for small, marginal farmers. Mushroom cultivation cost, profit, potential and govt training explained here.

Mushroom farming is gaining popularity among entrepreneurs, small and marginal farmers. If you are interested then you should know about cost, profit returns, government subsidy schemes, govt training centres, fees, potential and future of mushroom cultivation. All important terms are covered here, it is a comprehensive guide helpful for beginners.

Mushroom farming in India for small marginal farmers

Mushroom farming in India is growing as traditional farming methods are pressurized due to unpredictable weather, land degradation and rising investment cost. Mushroom cultivation offers sustainable and low cost farming. The training centres, fees, potential, investment, income returns and subsidy etc shared.

What is mushroom cultivation cost for a small area?

Mushroom cultivation is low investment farming with high returns. It is a better and favourable option for farmers seeking to diversify income. For small scale production the investment in mushroom production ranges between Rs 50,000 to Rs 100000. The budget contains the cost of basic infrastructure, substrates and spawns.

How many times mushrooms are harvested in a year?

A single crop cycle takes 60 – 70 days. There are a total 365 days in a year to count the total number of mushroom cycles divide 60 days by 365 days: 60/365 = 6. Thus the production cycle is 6 times in a year. It means mushroom harvested six times in a year.

What is mushroom production for a small area?

Mushroom farming in India is gaining popularity due to low cost and high production. Mushroom yield in one cycle could be around 2 to 3 tons. If it is harvested 6 times a year then the yield would be 2.5 tons x 6 times = 15 tons a year. Mushroom image given below.

mushroom training

What is the mushroom farm gate price?

Mushroom price in India depends on variety and location. The average farmgate price of Mushrooms in India varies between Rs 100 to Rs 150 per kg. 

How much can I earn from mushrooms per cycle? 

Small scale farmers can earn around Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh per cycle. If one cycle produces 2 tons and sells at Rs 150 per kg then the profit would be 2000 kg x Rs 150 = Rs 3,00000. 

As there are around 6 cycles in a year, you can earn approx Rs 18 lakh/annum: 6 cycles x 3 tons = Rs 18 lakhs per annum. However, the yield production, fruit quality and selling market should be fine to achieve this number.

Which government organization is providing mushroom training in India?

ICAR-IARAI, KVK centres are offering cheap mushroom training in India. Apart from that private organization of mushroom lady Divya Rawat is also providing training in Uttarakhand.

What is the expected growth in mushroom production worldwide?

According to the National Horticulture Board (NHB), mushroom cultivation in India will boost in upcoming years. As per NHB report India has already produced 3.9 lakhs metric tons of mushrooms in 2022. 

As per the experts the global mushroom market has potential to reach USD 86.6 billion by 2025. The growth is considered a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.4%, India is positioned to be a major player in mushroom production worldwide.

Why is mushroom demand growing?

Currently mushroom demand is expanding fast all over India and worldwide. The consumption is increasing domestically and internationally. The increase is due to health conscious people looking for protein rich, low calorie and nutrient full food.

Worldwide the young millennium age 29 to 44 is 29% of the world population which is huge, they are more health conscious than other age categories. So, the rich diet demand is increasing rapidly, hence mushroom demand is also increasing. 

India is considered a big mushroom player in the future having more potential. Exporting small quantities world wide then other countries like the US. Multiple European Nations dominating the mushroom market and Indian farmers are way behind on this expensive crop production and exportation. 

An image of mushroom given below.

divya rawat mushroom training

As an agricultural country India has a potential to achieve the milestone if the infrastructure and knowledge can be arranged to the people who want to do mushroom cultivation seriously. More knowledge sharing programmes are required to make people aware. 

Who can do mushroom farming?

No permission is required to do this cultivation; anyone can do it in India and worldwide.  Most farmers in India are dependent on seasonal crops which is not worth it. They can increase their income through mushrooms. 

Why is mushroom farming easier than seasonal crop farming?

Mushroom is controlled farming, can be done in a room not dependent on outside weather. You can control the room temperature. Whereas seasonal farming has always a risk of weather changes like low rain, more rain, dryness, overheating and natural calamities etc. 

Other cultivation needs more land or at least a land whereas mushroom cultivation can be started in a single room of your house.

How can I get mushroom subsidies in India?

As the government of India is promoting this crop in India. So, they want farmers to start mushroom cultivation on a large scale. The government offers subsidies through the National Horticulture Mission and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).

What are the different types of Mushrooms?

Button, oyster, milky, and shiitake mushrooms.  

What is taught in the mushroom training centres?

It is a low investment and high income return farming but needs expertise, knowledge and experience. Therefore training centres are required. Training centres teach about spawn production, substrate preparation, post harvesting handling, pest and disease management and temperature and humidity control. 

How to sell mushrooms in the Indian market?

Small farmers and startup entrepreneurs face challenges to access the market resulting in low profitability. Forming cooperatives or farmer producer organizations (FPOs) can resolve this problem. Through FPO;s small scale mushroom farmers get the opportunity to pool their resources to get better access in the market and to market their product more efficiently.  

What are the mushroom training fees in government centres?

As per the iari.res.in govt website you have to pay Rs 3000 in ICAR-IARAI, Pusa, New Delhi for 5 days camp. Lodging and boarding is not included in this amount. 

Conclusion – This post is all about mushroom farming in India for small marginal and entrepreneurship. A detailed overview of this low investment high return cultivation is given. Investment, income returns, subsidy channels, govt training centres, fees, mushroom farming potential and future is explained here. 

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