More take to mushroom farming

For heath and wealth:Mushroom cultivation requires not much space and time. Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

There is a growing demand for mushroom spawns from the region with an increasing number of people taking to mushroom cultivation, both for household needs and for earning an additional income. The Agriculture Department and various organisations, including NGOs, provide training in the commercial and domestic cultivation of mushroom.

Veteran trainer

According to John Marangoli, a veteran trainer from Palakkad, farming can be taken up by anyone with a little training. “I myself have trained around 80,000 people in different parts of the State during the last 25 years,” he said

Though only a few hundred of his trainees had taken to the commercial cultivation so far, thousands of them were doing it domestically. “I have conducted training sessions in over 150 Krishibhavans in the State,” he said. Besides explaining the health advantages, the training sessions would give hands-on instruction on the cultivation in different stages.

The produce could be harvested in 18 to 25 days after the cultivation. In around 35 days’ lifespan it gives three crops.

“One can get around 2.5 kg of mushroom from a packet of 320 gm seeds,” said Mr. Marangoli. The farmers would also be given advice to obtain different aids from the government for mushroom cultivation, he said.

Vengeri centre

According to P.K. Muhammed, secretary of the Urban Agriculture Market at Vengeri, the farmers’ training centre at Vengeri provided periodic training in mushroom farming. “People who take training and farmers, who come through different Krishibhavans are the main customers of our spawns.” The centre sold 50 kg of spawns a month, he said.

Peruvannamuzhi KVK

Considering the rich nutritional value, great taste and economic implications, every household should cultivate mushroom at least in a small way, says K.M. Prakash, Subject Matter Specialist (Agronomy), Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Peruvannamuzhi. “It only requires limited space and a little spare time,” said Mr. Prakash, who is also a regular trainer with the Agriculture Department.

There is an increasing demand for quality mushroom spawns in the region.

“We were forced to intensify the spawn production recently due to many-fold increase in demand,” he said.