Mushroom Cultivation: Future Prospects & Problems (2024)

• The Mushroom industry is gradually taking root in India. But the pace is slow because of insufficient scientific support and not so good training programmes.
• Except Mushroom Research Centre-Solan, there is no any other research laboratory or institute in India: which has a proper mushroom house with necessary facilities & proper equipments.
• Pasterization of compost is essential to get uniform higher yield and freedom from most of diseases & pests, but this practice is still to be adopted by the mushroom cultivators.
• Nematode problems are also becoming a limiting factor in the successful production of mushrooms, as nematicides recommemded abroad are not available in India. This problem needs attention specially.
• Presently there are no organised spawn-producing units, therefore spawn supply to growers is limited and uncertain. There is not any advisory service too.
• The production of mushrooms world wide is increasing at an annual rate of about more than 10%.
• Mushroom cultivation has a special relevance in India because Wheat and Rice Straw & Plant Residues are abduntaly available with our farmers. Our environment is also good for cultivation of mushrooms. Therefore future of this industry is bright.
• Awarness for the mushrooms among public consuming it has been increased.
• The question is that whether we should go for sophisticated, high capital investment for industrial production technology, with capacity of thousands of tonnes per year or go for small-farms approch.

(Swaminathan 1982 has advocated the adoption of small-farm approach in developing agricultural production)

• Majority of Indian growers cannot afford expensive mushroom houses equipped with boilers & evnironment-controlling gadgets. However a modest modernization of existing technology in India is essiential, if India is to be counted among the top nations for mushroom production.
• We may follow Tiawan which has almost same climatic conditions. Mushrooms are grown in Tiwan during winter season, in mushroom houses made of polythene supported by bamboo frames. Pasturization of compost is done through mobile boilers.
• With modest improvent in India's Mushroom Cultivation Technology India's mushroom yield can become 12-15kg/m2 as compared to 6-8kg/m2