Tihidi: Upendra Kumar Barik, a resident of Kamaria under Tihidi block in Bhadrak, was once struggling to eke out a living six years ago when he was jobless. But, he turned the corner with mushroom farming. Besides making him self-sufficient, mushroom farming has created an identity for Barik.
Recalling the days when he was jobless and desperately looking for work, Barik said he chanced upon Pathasrathi Behura, a resident of Arsa in Mukundapur panchayat. Behura encouraged Barik to take up mushroom farming, teaching him the techniques.
Barik started growing mushrooms in his farm on a small scale six years ago. Later, he expanded it. Now, he harvests 50 to 70 kg of mushrooms a day.
Initially, he faced hiccups in marketing, but later found out a way. He has also honed his skills by receiving special training on mushroom farming at OUAT in Bhubaneswar.
“Nothing is impossible if you have perseverance and sustained effort,” he noted. However, he has been doing this farming without financial support from the government.
Mushroom farming needs water. He doesn’t have enough funds to dig a deep bore well. “If I have a deep bore well, I can expand this farming,” he pointed out.
Barik said that he is managing a family of eight with earnings from mushrooms. Thus he has set an example for youths of the area who are sitting idle.
PNN
