A Study on Input Suppliers to the Mushroom Industry in Odisha

Author: Surya Sidhant Rath, Sarba Narayan Mishra and Khitish Kumar Sarangi

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Abstract

Mushroom farming promotes nutritional security, boost livelihoods, and empower rural women and the unemployed. For every production activity, input supply is one of the key components upon which the entire production set up is based. The activity of mushroom production is also based on the availability of the specific substrate and the mushroom spawn. A substance that allows the growth and establishment of mushroom mycelium is known as a mushroom substrate. In commercial mushroom cultivation, spores are collected and the resulting mycelium is propagated on sterile cereal grain (wheat) to produce a product called spawn. There has been little study regarding inputs for mushroom production. An attempt is herein made to study about the input suppliers to the mushroom industry. Since the mushroom production is highest in the state of Odisha, it was purposively selected for the study. The respondents were selected from four major mushroom producing districts i.e., Puri, Khurda, Ganjam and Dhenkanal. Forty spawn producers and twenty straw producers were taken for the study. The major actors of paddy straw value chain are rice farmer, producer, trader and user. The majority of the paddy straw is marketed in channel I (paddy growing farmer trader mushroom farmer) followed by channel II (paddy growing farmer mushroom farmer). The production cost of one kilogram of paddy straw which is equivalent to two bundles of paddy straw comes around Rs 4.22. Channel II which markets comparatively less paddy straw provides paddy straw at a lesser rate of twenty five paisa as compared to channel I while the farmers margin is also more in channel II. The margin of trader is ninety five paisa in channel I. The total cost of mushroom spawn production per month as observed is Rs. 202343. The actual spawn production is 18559 bottles and the net return comes around Rs. 40473. The BC ratio becomes 1.35. The cost of production per bottle is around eleven rupees. The major constraints in varying degree of severity are high cost of wheat grain, scarcity of skilled manpower, infection and contamination of spawn. All efforts are to be made to increase the quality mushrooms spawn production for the benefit of the mushroom growers.

Keywords

Mushroom, Spawn, Paddy, Straw and Constraints

Conclusion

As it is evident from the above study that the particular substrate and spawn are essential for the mushroom cultivation, it is necessary to provide good quality spawn and appropriate paddy straw substrate for qualitative and adequate mushroom production. Skill based training, appropriate storage, market awareness and market linkage are necessary for upgrading of paddy straw value chain in the state. The mushrooms spawn producers have limited presence in study districts, as a result the supply of spawn is less than the desired. All efforts are to be made to increase the quality mushrooms spawn production for the benefit of the mushroom growers. Wheat may be provided to the spawn producers at subsidised rate. Technical know-how to be given to spawn producers to check spawn infection. There is an urgent need of infrastructural support, financial support, technical support, and extension support for improvement in mushroom value chain.

References

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How to cite this article

Surya Sidhant Rath, Sarba Narayan Mishra and Khitish Kumar Sarangi (2023). A Study on Input Suppliers to the Mushroom Industry in Odisha. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(1): 678-684.