Mushroom Cultivation: A Potent Agro-technology for Nutritional Security

The study has examined the status of mushroom cultivation across the country along with the economics of mushroom production in Himachal Pradesh, based on both primary secondary data. The study has revealed that mushrooms added value worth 423 crore to Indian economy in 2010–11 and about 70 per cent of it was contributed by the three north Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The state of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed nearly 2.5-fold increase in mushroom production during the past one and a half decades. The study of economics of mushroom growing has revealed that about 80 per cent mushroom growers raised only one crop of button mushroom in a year. The overall net returns per 100 bags were 15,954 for one crop of button mushroom. The overall benefit-cost ratio for one crop was worked out to be 1.87:1. The overall breakeven point was at 60 compost bags. Three channels of marketing were followed by the mushroom growers in the study area but the channel, Producer → Retailer → Consumer, was the dominant and most efficient channel in the study area. Thus, keeping in view the advantages and economics of mushroom growing, it appears to be a potent weapon to fight out the nutritional deficiencies in India and hence calls for mass incentivising.