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AGRICULTURE continues to be the mainstay of India’s economy. However, the ever-increasing population, depleting agricultural land, climate change, water shortage and the need for quality food products at competitive rates are the key challenges.

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AGRICULTURE continues to be the mainstay of India’s economy. However, the ever-increasing population, depleting agricultural land, climate change, water shortage and the need for quality food products at competitive rates are the key challenges. It is important to diversify agricultural activities to provide food and nutritional security to the people. Mushroom farming is not only a means of crop diversification, but also helpful in addressing issues pertaining to food quality, health and environment. Commercial production of edible mushrooms bioconverts agricultural, industrial, forestry and household waste into nutritious food.

Thousands of varieties have been found growing in forests, fallow lands, canal banks etc., of which a few have been domesticated for human consumption. These mushrooms represent a high-value crop rich in nutrition. Today, about 20 varieties are artificially cultivated in around 100 countries for their food and medicinal value. Being rich in protein, the fungal growth can help alleviate malnutrition and improve the economic lot of people in developing nations.

At present, mushroom production in the country is about 1.5 lakh tonnes, of which Punjab contributes around 10 per cent — mainly through 400-odd seasonal growers as well as a few industrial units growing the crop under controlled temperature and relative humidity. Punjab has about 83.5 per cent of its total land area under crop production. Wheat and paddy are the major crops and their straw constitutes the bulk of about 300 lakh tonnes of crop residue annually. The principal seasons, winter and summer, with the average temperature in the range of 10°C to 42°C, make the state suitable for mushroom cultivation as a profitable subsidiary occupation for supplementing the income from agricultural activity.

Cultivation of mushrooms in Punjab has primarily been a seasonal activity. Four varieties — white button (Agaricus bisporus), oyster (Pleurotus spp.), milky (Calocybe indica) and paddy straw (Volvariella spp.) —are grown under natural climatic conditions. The first two varieties are cultivated during the winter months from October to March, while the latter two are summer varieties (April to August). Thus, growers can cultivate mushrooms round the year by selecting suitable varieties recommended by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for winter and summer. Now, a few industrial units with temperature-controlled facility are growing the white button variety throughout the year, but most of the 400-odd satellite growers cultivate primarily button mushroom during the winter months and milky or paddy straw varieties during summer.

There is no organised marketing of mushrooms in the state. The majority of the growers sell their produce fresh in the wholesale vegetable market. Most of the fresh mushrooms are sold as a washed product packed in polybags (200 gm per packet) in almost all towns and cities of Punjab, except Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Jalandhar, where unwashed ones are available too. On an average, the rate varies between Rs 80 and Rs 100 per kg of fresh mushrooms. However, the market rate fluctuations are directly linked to the demand and availability.

Mushrooms are also processed by growers or processors to produce various value-added products, including pickle. These are also used for preparations such as soup, pizzas, pulao, snacks etc.

Punjab Agricultural University arranges specialised mushroom training courses for growers in September every year. The recommended technology for cultivation has been included in PAU publications Mushroom cultivation (English) and Khumban di Kasht (Punjabi). Month-wise farm operations for mushroom cultivation are published in every monthly issue of Progressive Farming and Changi Kheti. As a back-up service, quality seed of the recommended varieties is available from the Department of Microbiology during the respective growing seasons. Analytical services for compost and casing soil samples is provided free of cost to the growers. Scientists also conduct visits to the growers’ farms. Radio/TV talks by mushroom experts from the university add to the extension services for the growers.

The university has started supplying ‘ready to fruit’ bags of button mushroom to hobbyists, small and landless growers, peri-urban families and weaker sections. The compost prepared by the short method of composting is spawned with recommended high-yielding button mushroom spawn and supplied in bags of 5 kg each along with the disinfected casing mixture. These bags just need to be sprayed with water daily, as mushrooms are harvested for 50-60 days.

Mushroom farming is poised for a phenomenal rise in production and consumption in the coming years. The farmers of Punjab and other states, therefore, have the opportunity to develop mushroom production as a remunerative subsidiary occupation by utilising agricultural residue.

KEY ADVANTAGES

  • A good source of protein, mushrooms are rich in minerals and vitamins. Some varieties have medicinal properties
  • Potential of utilising agro-waste without causing pollution
  • Indoor crop; growth independent of fertility status of land, vagaries of weather
  • Demand increasing at a rapid rate
  • Cultivation is labour-intensive, provides employment
  • Cost-benefit ratio is appreciable, hence a potentially profit-earning crop
  • Good scope of export, so a source of foreign exchange

— The author is Head of Microbiology Department, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana

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