Mushroom Farming: An Overview

 Mushroom farming was started in India during the mid sixties at Solan by Dr. Mental, who started working as FAO consultant. It was started on a very small scale under the Department of Agriculture (H. P. Govt.) and the first batch of button mushrooms was successfully grown. Simultaneously cultivation was also started as pilot project in Srinagar. Gradually mushroom farming gained roots in both the regions as the local population started cultivating mushrooms at their homes and mushroom farming took shape of a cottage industry.

Later on Maharaja of Patiala took interest in mushroom cultivation in the 1970s and took it up on a much broader scale, monopolizing the button mushrooms segment in India for a brief period.

Since then mushroom farming in India has come a long way and today mushroom farming is carried out on a much broader scale across various states leading to a production of over 11000 tons annually.

As it is, mushroom production is carried out in five stages, starting with the preparation of compost. Preparation of compost includes various materials, such as horse manure, straw, gypsum, chicken manure and water. Since manure emits ammonia, the compost production units use ammonia preventing emission of gases. Fresh compost resembles more like forest dirt. Around 90 kilograms of compost can yield around 35 kilograms of mushrooms, after which it is no longer worthwhile to reuse it.

After the preparation of compost, we come to the second stage, i.e. spawning, which starts with indoor pasteurization of fresh compost at 57-60 degree Centigrade. This is done to kill all the possible bacteria. After a period of six to seven days, the compost is then mixed with the spawn that will result in mycelium. Thereafter the compost is moved to another place where mycelium can get spread through the compost. Mycelium grows rapidly and after two weeks the compost is completely permeated and is ready for growers. Most mushroom cultivators don’t make their own spawn, since it is a rather sophisticated process. It is done by specialized companies that make the spawn.

Thereafter we come to the third stage i.e. Casing, which involves spreading of the compost on the mushroom beds. These beds are kept inside cool, dark rooms with temperature of about 23 degree Celsius. Also, a layer of peat casing material is further added to the compost for keeping the compost moist. Thereafter water is sprinkled on regular basis for maintaining the requisite moisture content.

After casing we arrive at the fourth stage i.e. pinning. This involves lowering the temperature from 23 to 17 degree Centigrade over the next four days. Once mycelium has reached its full extent the mushroom cultivators lower the temperature, which results in sprouting of the mushrooms. This leads to formation of little buds. These buds look like pin heads and are hence called pins. They will grow into mushrooms.

Thereafter we enter the fifth and final stage which is cultivation. Once the mushrooms have attained the desired size and volume, they are harvested. After that, the mushrooms are sorted on the basis of their shapes, weight and quality and send for packaging.