Kota-resident Yashraj Sahu got here to learn about mushroom farming from a farmer in his village throughout his college days. He started intently wanting on the course of and finally developed an curiosity. That’s when he determined to develop as much as develop into a large-scale mushroom farmer.
To allow this, he took up the agriculture stream in his greater secondary class and is now a ultimate yr BSc Agriculture scholar. What makes Yashraj totally different is his robust will to place collectively his dream farm even earlier than finishing his research!
Yashraj shares that hailing from a low-income household with dad and mom being every day wage labourers, he all the time needed to construct a enterprise of his personal and achieve success.
So, the 21-year-old, accompanied by his pal Rahul Meena based Agro Steps Pvt Ltd — an organization promoting oyster mushrooms.
Organising the mushroom farm
“I arrange a farm in a 625 sq ft plot from scratch. I used bamboo, inexperienced web and black polythene to arrange a construction the place baggage with sown mushroom seeds are hung. All these actions are carried out after my faculty time. It took me near a month to get this farm prepared,” says Yashraj.
After organising the construction, he spent 10 consecutive days from 9 pm to 1 am getting ready 500 baggage to develop mushrooms.
It takes 45 to 60 days for one batch of mushrooms to prepare on the market. Moreover, the duo additionally bought mushrooms from different farmers for a greater charge with a view to construct extra connections and clients.
“It was after entering into faculty that I took mushroom farming significantly. I took a one-month course from Krishi Van — an agricultural institute in Dehradun after which tried rising mushrooms in 50 baggage in 2018. I harvested round 80 kg of produce from these baggage, and it constructed my confidence,” he explains.
Regardless that he bought 80 kg of mushrooms obtained from the primary experiment at Rs 100 per kg, Yashraj couldn’t proceed the cultivation for the subsequent two years as a result of pandemic.
Throughout this era, I used to be in contact with the scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kota, who shared a brand new methodology of rising mushrooms with out using soil. In January 2022, I restarted the enterprise with 500 baggage utilizing this methodology which gave a greater harvest. I earned greater than Rs 80,000 from this batch alone,” he shares.
Yashraj sells contemporary oyster mushrooms for Rs 100–150 per kg. However higher earnings come by promoting the identical mushroom in powder format. It’s purchased by folks for Rs 1,500–2,000 per kg.
“With a view to put together 10 kg of mushroom powder, 100 kg of contemporary oyster mushroom is required. That is the explanation why it’s priced greater. Inside 60 days, I used to be capable of make as much as Rs 1 lakh from the five hundred cultivated baggage,” he provides.
Yashraj’s 24-year-old enterprise companion Rahul too helped in organising this batch of mushrooms.
“Certainly one of us is all the time current on the farm taking care of the wants and development of the produce. This is also a purpose why we have been capable of yield as much as 700 grams of mushroom from a single bag. Normally, the amount by no means goes greater than 400 grams. Actually, each of us have been stunned and blissful to see the outcomes,” he says.
Find out how to develop mushrooms?
“No less than 500 baggage need to be ready for cultivating 1000 kg of oyster mushrooms. To arrange these baggage 600 kg straw, 100 kg seed, black polythene price Rs 200 and twine price Rs 800 is required. Bamboo buildings are made and coated with a inexperienced web to make sure daylight doesn’t enter the construction, which impacts the expansion of mushrooms,” explains the agripreneur.
“The luggage need to be refrained from daylight for 18 days. Watering can be not mandatory throughout this era. After 18 days, we are able to begin sprinkling water, and this needs to be continued for 45–60 days. Yearly, a most of seven rounds of cultivation could be carried out this fashion,” he provides.
Within the preliminary days, Yashraj confronted issue find patrons for his produce. However now, with the assistance of YouTube, Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Krishi Van Sansthan, the mushrooms are in good demand throughout Kota.
“We add movies of mushroom cultivation and harvest in our YouTube channel, which has helped loads within the gross sales,” he says.
Yashraj can be incomes effectively by means of the gross sales of value-added merchandise like contemporary mushroom pickles, papad, capsule and biscuit.
“There are not any businessmen or farmers in both of our households. So, we have been reluctant to step into the sphere. However now the members of the family are blissful seeing the development of our firm and the revenue generated after months of onerous work. We’re all set to go larger by including 500 extra baggage within the upcoming months,” says the younger businessman who additionally helps fellow farmers arrange their very own mushroom farms at their areas.
Learn this story in Hindi right here.
Edited by Pranita Bhat