Oyster mushrooms are offered for as a lot as Rs 200 per kg, leading to worthwhile companies for a number of farmers. Learn how to begin rising them? Listed below are some ideas from those that discovered success.

A paper revealed within the ‘Worldwide Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Analysis’ highlighted the quite a few advantages of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus). It revealed that mushrooms possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic properties.

Amid many oyster mushroom companies rising, we’ve gathered profitable ventures on this subject. If you happen to’re contemplating coming into the mushroom enterprise, listed below are some useful tricks to start:

1. Management the quantity of sunshine

In distinction to different crops, oyster mushrooms being fungi, thrive in areas the place daylight is minimal. Small quantities of sunshine are wanted to sign to the mycelium (the root-like construction of the mushroom) that it’s time to fruit. However, direct daylight can usually hinder the expansion and dry the mushrooms out.

That is what Kota-based faculty scholar Yashraj Sahu and his good friend Rahul Meena found after they arrange a soil-less mushroom farm. The duo’s first harvest yielded 1,000 kg of oyster mushrooms. They credited controlling the quantity of daylight because the roadmap to victory.

Sahu added he coated the setup with a inexperienced internet to make sure daylight didn’t enter.

2. Cool the setup

Oyster mushrooms are recognized to thrive in cooler climes. That being stated, chilly winters and excessive warmth deter development. A temperature of 20 levels Celsius and humidity of 70 % is perfect for the fungi.

Nevertheless, Delhi resident Geeta Arunachalam discovered a approach to develop the mushrooms in any temperature zone, offered you comply with this tip.

She says, “As per the method, the shed partitions could be constructed out of straw blocks after which smeared with a coating of clay and cow dung, after which coated with burlap sacking. The wall must be frequently sprinkled with water to keep up the best humidity degree between 50 to 70 %. These partitions additionally assist in preserving the shed insulated towards excessive temperatures, thus permitting the mushrooms inside to flourish.”

3. Discover a rhythm that works

When Ernakulam’s Jitu Thomas sowed mushroom seeds in a packet on the age of 19, he didn’t fathom this is able to be step one to a booming enterprise. In the present day, he and his mom run ‘Leena’s Mushroom Farm’ the place they develop oyster mushrooms in a 5,000 sq. toes farm area incomes 1000’s day by day.

Jitu cautions, “The crop is fragile and intensely delicate. A minute change in temperature or the arrival of pests can wreck the crop utterly,” when requested how he manages to reap nice harvests.

“Take into account the primary six months because the trial interval. Stage up solely after that while you really feel it’s manageable and worthwhile,” he provides.

4. Sterilisation is vital

Whereas rising oyster mushrooms on a substrate, there’s a excessive probability that the media might grow to be contaminated with micro organism and different fungi. These organisms might hinder the expansion of your mushrooms. Autoclaving the substrate helps obtain a temperature of 121 levels Celsius, stopping any unfavourable development.

Odisha’s Santosh Mishra realized this the exhausting means. When he started his journey with oyster mushrooms, his first yield was solely three items.

“I used to be disheartened, however I targeted on understanding the error,” he says. “I understood that as I didn’t sterilise both the soil or my fingers earlier than making ready the mushroom mattress, I acquired a really poor yield. Sterilisation is the principle part of mushroom cultivation. After trial and error, now I rise up to 7 kg from one mattress.”

5. Watch out for contaminants

Rising any type of foliage comes with the danger of pests and bugs feeding on it. Gujarat engineer Anjana Gamit, who runs a booming oyster mushroom farm, pitches in on how one can management this nuisance.

“To beat the contamination downside, I take advantage of neem oil. And to forestall humidity from spoiling the spawns, I take advantage of an additional layer of protection on the inexperienced shade internet,” she says, including that she moistens the curtains and hangs them on all 4 sides of the shed.

Edited by Pranita Bhat