Did you know that there are more than a million species of mushroom around the world, and more than 70 percent of them are edible and have high economic and nutritional value?
Opening a mushroom farm is quite an attractive business idea you can launch as it is highly profitable and compatible with even an uneducated person as well. You all need proper guidance once and then nothing could hinder you from owning a profitable business.
If you own a small plot of land, you already have taken a step towards bringing down your costs and simplied your financial worries. If you don’t have a plot of your own but still intend to open a mushroom business, lets’ here share without what all you are required to do in order to get yourself started.
Vimla, a local India entrepreneur who own DMushrooms helps us to understand all the requirements to get new entrepreneurs establish their own mushroom farm businesses. Her every valuable lesson has been shared as follows:
Mushroom species
Vimla’s first step when she made her mind to start a mushroom business was to decide on a vareity of mushroom species. However, she was looking for a species which is popular among Indians, grows quickly, demands less costs, weather resistant. She was lucky to find oyster mushroom species which posseses almost all such qualities.
So, from her lesson, it is obvious that you should also decide on a species of mushroom which is very popular in your own area no matter which country you live in and has all these qualities. You can buy mushrooms species from special stores, farms, and private firms.
Get a land plot
If you have no land available, don’t worry you can easily grow oyter mushroom and other like species at your own home. You could also use backyard of your home.
However, if you have shortage of that as well, then you will need to travel to your nearest village settlements, where you could pick up a small plot of land on rent and thereby begin your mushroom cultivation practice.
Let’s remind you that you don’t necessarily require a big space for cultivation. If you could manage 100 square feet of land, you could enjoy a yield of 2400 pounds which is equivalent to 1100 kilograms a year.
Equipment and materials
Vimla said she was quite unsure about the list of required tools, equipment and materials. However, after a consultation with friend and a little bit of research on the internet she came to know about the following long list of tools, equipment, and materials required for her mushroom farm business:
| Equipment Tools Materials | ||
| Measuring tape Rooms for Mushroom Exhaust Fan | ||
| Desert cooler Thermometers Hygrometers | ||
| Luxmeter Box for Mushroom Transportation Straw Immersion | ||
| Trays Bamboo Polythene | ||
| Pump set Sprayer Chaff Cutter | ||
| Paddy straw Spawn bottles Chemicals for sterilization | ||
| Weighing balance Refrigerator for storing spawn |
In conclusion
If there is a room for assistants, consider hiring 2-3 people who will work and monitor your farm. They should be given adequate training for efficient cultivation and yeild.
The real work of selling your finished products will be tough in your early business days. However, it will become easy with time. There are various ways to sell your finished products. One is to open your own shop, counter or a showcase. Second, you can supply your mushrooms to the supermarkers and shops around you.
