Production and marketing of button mushroom in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh

Mushroom production in Himachal Pradesh is mainly confined to private sector entrepreneurs through supply of quality spawned compost from the public sector compost cum mushroom production units. The state has witnessed an increase in its production from 2945 tonnes in 2000–01 to 7377 tonnes in 2009–10 and 7262 tonnes in 2012–13 with a larger share of private sector which increased from 96.38 per cent in 2000–01 to more than 99 per cent in 2012–13. The mushroom production in Himachal Pradesh recorded a spectacular annual growth rate of 3.64 per cent over this period with highest of 3.74 per cent per annum in case of private sector units. A study carried out with 70 button mushroom growing units grouped as small and large based on spawned compost bags in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh revealed that out of three identified button mushroom marketing channels; channel II (producerà retaileràconsumer) was the most important channel as more than 63 per cent of total mushroom produce was marketed by almost one-half growers through this channel in which producer's share in consumer's rupee was as high as 68.57 per cent and quite reasonable for a highly perishable commodity and might be due to shorter marketing channel. Nearly two-third of growers reported that the quality of the spawned compost bags supplied to them by public sector production units was below satisfactory level while comparing with private suppliers. Nearly one-tenth of mushroom units were noticed to be infested with the incidence of disease and insect pests. Over one-third (42.85 per cent) of growers reported that they did not fetch remunerative price for their crop.