Success Story Mushroom cultivation: A way to counteract the hailstorm effect.

Bagish Kumar*, Pankaj Kumar Sinha, Pankaj Baiswar, N. Uttam Singh, Aniruddha Roy, M Thoithoi Devi, Astha Barman, R. Laha

ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya, 793103

Module: Mushroom Cultivation
Name of the Intervention: Mushroom Cultivation: A way to counteract the hailstorm effect
Focus Area: Marngar village cluster, Ri-Bhoi District, Nongpoh, Meghalaya

Challenges:
            Rice is the major crop during Kharif season of the Marngar village cluster of Meghalaya adopted under Farmers’ FIRST programme. Only small patches of winter vegetables can be seen during Rabi as most of the farmers kept their land fallow after paddy harvesting. The main reason for this anomaly is the hailstorm in the month of March- April limits the cultivation of winter vegetables as it coincides with the harvesting of vegetables. Under these circumstances, farmers show interest in those agricultural interventions which can be done in the closed conditions. Considering the situation mentioned above, it has been decided jointly by the farmers and scientists to start mushroom cultivation in the adopted village cluster with the objective to counter the hail storm effect and supplement the farmers’ income.

Process:
Under the Farmers’ FIRST Programme, a training programme on Mushroom Cultivation was organized in the month of February, 2017at ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam which was attended by 30 interested farmers from 10 villages of Marngar area. The farmers were highly motivated to take up mushroom farming, but, Mr. Mrinal Sohkhwai, who also participated in the training, has shown keen interest in mushroom cultivation.

Mr. Sohkhwai was provided with some financial assistance from the institute under Farmer FIRST for the construction of the mushroom house. A 24x15 sq. ft. house was constructed with locally available materials like bamboo, pine wood, hay, etc. He also made an investment of his own for purchase of inputs like polythene bags, paddy straw, etc., from Byrnihat. The spawn was provided by the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam. The shelves were made of bamboo inside the mushroom house.

Economics:
His first harvest was done in the month of May. He obtained a harvest of 4-6kg mushroom per day which was sold to the nearby market in Nongpoh @ Rs.200/kg. He earned Rs. 6600 in a short duration of one and half months, by selling a total harvest of 33kg.

Impact and Lessons Learnt:
As mushroom cultivation was introduced for the first time in the village cluster under Farmers’ FIRST project, Mr. Mrinal’s initiative became an example for all the farmers in his cluster. They were very much surprised to know that mushroom cultivation can generate so much revenue in a short span of time with a little investment. Mr. Mrinal Sohkhwai says that he is interested in commercial production of mushroom as he saw that the demand is high and the return is more and in a short span of time. This initiative of Mr. Mrinal is not only an inspiration but a source of hope for farmers in the area who wish to take up mushroom farming for a living. It is also a means to overcome crop loss due to climatic changes.

Testimony
“I was earning Rs. 20-30/kg by selling vegetables but now I am getting Rs. 200/kg just by selling mushroom and moreover there is no fear of hailstorm which can’t damage my crop now”.

Contact details of the farmer FFP for further information:

Name: Mrinal Sohkhwai
Age: 31 years
Phone: 8575532680
Education: High school level
Address: Borkhatsari village, Marngar, Ri- Bhoi , Meghalaya
Land holdings: 10 ha
Livestock: Poultry, Piggery
Farming experience: Grows crops like paddy, vegetables, spice crops (ginger and turmeric), pineapple, etc,