When the Covid-19-induced lockdowns affected their business, it was mushroom cultivation which helped Abdul Razak and his wife Tahira from Navagrama in Balepuni Gram Panchayat limits to sustain their source of livelihood
The couple are engaged in oyster mushroom cultivation. Sharing his experience, Razak said that initially he was into electrical contract and construction work. He then worked in the Gulf for a few years before returning to his native place.
“I purchased a house at Navagrama in Balepuni 16 years ago and started a catering business. I supplied idli, neerdose, semige and akki roti to hotels. When the business improved, even machines were purchased. However, demonetisation and Covid-19-induced lockdowns affected the business drastically. In the meantime, I underwent a heart surgery. With no work in hand, I sold all the machines and started searching in an effort to start something afresh when I came across mushroom cultivation on YouTube,” he said.
He said he underwent training at Mudigere. He started the cultivation with one kg of mushroom spawns. When he succeeded in it, he collected mushroom spawns from Shivamogga for cultivation.
The family converted one room in their house for mushroom cultivation and constructed a shed for processing and packing mushrooms.There is a good demand.
“Many people are unaware of mushrooms and think they are poisonous. We should create awareness on mushrooms. I harvest about two to three kg of mushrooms every day. The production will increase in the coming days. Once the production increases, I will concentrate on the value-added products in it,” Razak said.
The mushrooms are packed and marketed soon after the harvest. They can be kept for two days in 20 to 30 degrees celsius and six to seven days inside the refrigerator. “I have met several people engaged in mushroom cultivation and value-added products to gain more knowledge about the cultivation and the packaging,” Razak added.
He said there are varieties of mushrooms, including button mushrooms and milky mushrooms that can be cultivated. "At present, I am cultivating only oyster mushrooms," he said.
Jana Shikshana Trust Director Sheena Shetty said efforts are on to get the product registered under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Mushroom cultivation is slowly picking up. There are plans to conduct training in mushroom cultivation,” he added.