The present investigation, carried out in the mushroom growing pockets spread in the Ahmednagar district has assessed the marketing of mushroom by collecting data through survey method for the years 2005–06. The data include expenses incurred on various aspects of marketing, price fetched by the growers, marketing functionaries, etc. The study has recorded use of following channels in marketing of mushroom: Growers – Wholesaler – Export (Channel-I), Grower – Retailer – Consumer (Channel-II), and Grower – Consumer (Chanel-III). The per kg marketing costs in channels I, II and III have been found as Rs 3.62, Rs 3.45 and Rs 2.92, respectively. The highest quantity of mushroom is sold through channel-III. Producers share in consumer rupee has been found as 51.52 paise in channel-I, 58.01 paise in channel-II and 80.92 paise in channel-III. The study has identified the following problems in marketing of mushroom: (i) lack of networks of transportation, (ii) lack of cold storage facility, (iii) non-availability of funds at right time, and (iv) high cost of commission of traders.
