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Kota-resident Yashraj Sahu got here to find out about mushroom farming from a farmer in his village throughout his faculty days. He started intently trying on the course of and finally developed an curiosity. That’s when he determined to develop as much as turn out to be a large-scale mushroom farmer.
To allow this, he took up the agriculture stream in his increased secondary class and is now a remaining 12 months BSc Agriculture scholar. What makes Yashraj completely 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 at all times wished to construct a enterprise of his personal and achieve success.
So, the 21-year-old, accompanied by his buddy Rahul Meena based Agro Steps Pvt Ltd — an organization promoting oyster mushrooms.
Establishing 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 completed 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 making 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 fee with a view to construct extra connections and prospects.
“It was after stepping into faculty that I took mushroom farming severely. 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.
Despite the fact that he offered 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 because of the 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 the usage of 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 better income come by promoting the identical mushroom in powder format. It’s purchased by individuals for Rs 1,500–2,000 per kg.
“With the intention to put together 10 kg of mushroom powder, 100 kg of contemporary oyster mushroom is required. That is the explanation why it’s priced increased. Inside 60 days, I used to be in a position to 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.
“One in every of us is at all times current on the farm taking care of the wants and development of the produce. This is also a motive why we had been in a position to yield as much as 700 grams of mushroom from a single bag. Often, the amount by no means goes greater than 400 grams. In reality, each of us had been stunned and pleased to see the outcomes,” he says.
The right way to develop mushrooms?
“At the very least 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 constructions are made and lined 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 also be not needed throughout this era. After 18 days, we will begin sprinkling water, and this needs to be continued for 45–60 days. Yearly, a most of seven rounds of cultivation will be completed this fashion,” he provides.
Within the preliminary days, Yashraj confronted problem find consumers 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 quite a bit within the gross sales,” he says.
Yashraj can also 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 had been reluctant to step into the sphere. However now the members of the family are pleased seeing the development of our firm and the revenue generated after months of exhausting 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
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