Phulbani: Even as mushroom cultivation is gaining traction driven by its low input cost, a man from Phulbani of Kandhmal district has become self-sufficient.
Debabrata Behera of Dhadki village has set an example for others while many have spent major part of their life running after government jobs.
His mushroom is popular in his area as Bullu Chhatu. “If you start this mushroom farming, there is no need to run after government or private jobs,” he asserts.
He started this farming in a small way. As demand for mushroom increased in the area, he made it a full time job.
“I now produce 8 to 10 kg of mushroom every day. There is 50 per cent profit in the farming,” he pointed out.
The demand for his mushroom is so high that he need not go out, people come to his farm to buy it. If anyone orders mushroom over phone, he delivers the mushroom packets in his auto rickshaw.
Debabrata spent his childhood in Daringbadi. While pursuing matriculation, he produced mushroom from paddy straw. After riots, he left for Bhubaneswar in search of job. Unable to get a job, he returned to Phulbani and stayed at a rented house with his wife and two children.
He started the mushroom farming and that clicked. He produces three varieties of mushroom depending on the seasons.
He has laid 20 beds and produces 10 kg of mushroom every day that fetches him Rs 1800 to Rs 2000. It has become a major source of his income. The youths can take this farming as a business, he added.
He pointed out that the best season to grow mushroom is between March and September.
As mushroom has a high demand in the market, this farming has a potential to create good job avenues for many in the state, he added.
He added that “The mushroom farming helps me to cover most of his expenses. The youths need to be provided with training to enhance its reach. Mushroom farming is gradually emerging as a thriving business for many educated unemployed youth.”
PNN
