Commercial mushroom farming brings employment and strong income for Kailali farmer

Attaria (Kailali): Mangal Chaudhary of Jokaiya, Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City-11, Kailali has been engaged in commercial mushroom farming.

Chaudhary has been cultivating mushrooms for six years after registering Subhash Multipurpose Agriculture Farm. Having started mushroom farming from a single tunnel, he is currently producing mushrooms from 15 tunnels on five katta of land.

Stating that he produces mushrooms throughout the year, Chaudhary said that his income has also been good. He said, “Mushrooms worth Rs 2 million are sold annually. After deducting all expenses, he earns an annual income of Rs 1 million. This year, the target is to sell mushrooms up to Rs 3 million.”

Earlier, due to a lack of knowledge and skills, he used to produce mushrooms for only six months, but now he has been producing them for twelve months. The virgin mushrooms produced by Chaudhary are currently being sold in the market at a rate of Rs 250 per kilogram.

He said, “The production of virgin mushrooms is high. Its consumption is also good. The cost is also low. That is why I have been producing virgin mushrooms.” Chaudhary added that he has also employed four people on daily wages at the mushroom farm and pays them between Rs 600 and Rs 800 per person per day.

Farmers like Chaudhary engaged in commercial mushroom farming say that despite low investment and high returns, it is difficult to meet market demand. They noted that with the increasing demand in the market, mushroom farming has become a reliable source of livelihood.

They said that income from mushroom farming easily covers household expenses as well as their children's education costs. Chaudhary, who has been engaged in commercial mushroom farming, serves as an example of how hardworking individuals can create employment within the country and earn a good income.