0Production of Mushroom is a profitable business for farmers owning small land requires considerably low start-ups capital investments. Mushroom production is an art which needs the combination of study and experience.
A person who possesses little idea of science and technology of mushroom can build his own farm business. Different types of mushroom have different production cost and it is important to decide on a budget depending on the amount of money available and the long term investment benefit.
A good variety to start mushroom farming with is the Oyster mushroom. Other profitable and easy to grow varieties are Shiitake, Lions Mane, White Button and Portobello.
The total cost of production varied from Rs. 54683 on small farms to Rs. 401308 on large farms, with average as Rs. 195387 per farm. The fixed cost of mushroom production was worked out to be 38.39 per cent, 39.52 per cent and 29.12 per cent on small, medium and large farms, respectively.
Cultivation of mushroom requires a perfect combination of humidity, temperature, the substrate (growth medium) and inoculum (spawn or starter culture). The crop grows well at relative humidity levels of around 95-100%, and substrate moisture levels of 50 to 75%.
The process of mushroom production follows steps as Spawn production, compost production, Spawning, Casing, Fruiting, Harvesting, Packaging and Marketing. Like as any other crop the mushroom is also susceptible to some disease and pests, so require continues monitoring and management to get good returns.
