With a deliciously meaty texture and versatility in cooking, mushrooms have become a favourite ingredient for many in the Indian culinary scene over the past decade. Not only are these fungi a delight to savour, but they also hold the potential to enrich you financially if you can master the art of farming them.
At the young age of 19, developed a keen interest in mushroom farming. He sowed his mushroom seeds in a packet and has never looked back!
With the help of his mother Leena Thomas, he decided to start growing mushrooms.
“Mushrooms need a controlled climate to grow where the temperature shouldn’t fall under 30 degrees Celsius. Installation of a proper cooling system is therefore significant. We have designed the room and its settings in such a way that around 20,000 beds can be positioned in a space where usually only 5,000 beds are placed,” explains Jithu.
“There are many advantages to including its less growing period. But that doesn’t mean it is an easy task. The crop is fragile and extremely sensitive. A minute change in temperature or the advent of pests can ruin the crop completely,” warns the young farmer.
Today, the duo are earning Rs 40,000 per day by selling mushrooms!
Spread over 5,000 sq ft of land, the farm uses simple science to keep temperature and humidity at optimum levels. This helps the duo produce over every day!
These mushrooms are then sold to retailers with no middlemen helping them to keep costs low and make better profits. Jithu also has expanded the business by training people in mushroom farming. “At least 1,000 people have attended my classes so far but I am not sure how many took up farming later,” he shares.
(Edited by Padmashree Pande)
At the young age of 19, developed a keen interest in mushroom farming. He sowed his mushroom seeds in a packet and has never looked back!
With the help of his mother Leena Thomas, he decided to start growing mushrooms.
“Mushrooms need a controlled climate to grow where the temperature shouldn’t fall under 30 degrees Celsius. Installation of a proper cooling system is therefore significant. We have designed the room and its settings in such a way that around 20,000 beds can be positioned in a space where usually only 5,000 beds are placed,” explains Jithu.
“There are many advantages to including its less growing period. But that doesn’t mean it is an easy task. The crop is fragile and extremely sensitive. A minute change in temperature or the advent of pests can ruin the crop completely,” warns the young farmer.
Today, the duo are earning Rs 40,000 per day by selling mushrooms!
Spread over 5,000 sq ft of land, the farm uses simple science to keep temperature and humidity at optimum levels. This helps the duo produce over every day!
These mushrooms are then sold to retailers with no middlemen helping them to keep costs low and make better profits. Jithu also has expanded the business by training people in mushroom farming. “At least 1,000 people have attended my classes so far but I am not sure how many took up farming later,” he shares.
(Edited by Padmashree Pande)