Economics Potentials in Mushrooms

ByMr Allah Dad Khan

Market for mushrooms is growing rapidly in Pakistan because of their nice aroma, nutritious values, subtle flavor and special taste. Many exotic food preparations like soup, vegetables, pickles etc. are made from them.

They are also used for garnishing, to prepare many varieties of gravy and for stuffing several food preparations. But they are still considered as up-market product and their consumption is limited to urban and semi urban areas.

Fresh mushrooms have very limited shelf life but processed and canned mushrooms have fairly long shelf life and can be sold even at far off places, Star hotels and exclusive restaurants.

Economics Potentials in Mushrooms

In Pakistan the biggest mushroom supplier markets are Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Mushroom consumption is increasing in Pakistan due to increasing demand for fast food.

The productivity of mushroom is higher than any crop. Food, nutritional and medicinal values apart, mushroom growing can be efficient means of waste disposal (agricultural, industrial and forest wastes), since it can use the wastes as medium of growth.

Economics Potentials in Mushrooms

Hence, it could be considered as eco-friendly.

In Pakistan only three types, namely, button, oyster and straw mushrooms are commercially cultivated.

Further, mushroom growing is highly labor intensive and requirement of land is comparatively low.

Economics Potentials in Mushrooms

Different agricultural and/or industrial straw wastes can be used for cultivation of mushrooms. Mostly the wheat, paddy, barley, oat and gram straw, banana, sugarcane and maize leaves, empty millet heads and corn cobs, cotton waste, manure etc., can be used as substrate (medium) for cultivation.

As Pakistan is an agricultural country, therefore a huge quantity of the crop waste is easily available at low cost, which could be converted into edible mushrooms by using separately or in combination.

Economics Potentials in Mushrooms

The white mushrooms, resembling with the shape of button are mostly known as button mushroom, but as these are naturally grown in meadow, therefore are called meadow mushrooms, also known as European mushroom, town or street mushroom in Europe.

These are largely grown and greatly consumed throughout the world with almost 80% share among growing mushrooms.

ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF SMALL SCALE BUTTON MUSHROOM PRODUCTION IN PAKISTAN

Mushroom is widely cultivated as a proteineous vegetable in many countries of the world including Pakistan. Its cultivation requires less space, care, equipment and cost compared to many other crops and livestock.

The present study was conducted in 2010 to estimate the profitability of small scale button mushroom production at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad, Pakistan.

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Mushroom growing involves culturing mushroom spawn on a substrate and harvesting the mushrooms.

The substrate must be sterilized by boiling in water in a drum.

The material used is typically wheat straw, gypsum and poultry waste which was readily available locally and at low cost.

Cultivation Method for Button Mushroom:

After the substrate is sterilized and cooled, it is inoculated with spawn inside polythene bags and shelved

The bags were tied with threads and shelves were covered with polythene sheets in growing room for two to three weeks. During that period the mushrooms start to develop.

When the young mushrooms start to push out the walls of the plastic bag, the bags were ripped open and polythene sheets were removed from the shelves to allow normal growth.

Cultivation Method for Button Mushroom:

To ensure top quality product, mushrooms picking started at the time when they were fully mature but before they start to turn brown and before the edges start to turn black.

Room where experiment was con ducted could not maintain the desired temperature for mushroom production.

The developing mushrooms were watered regularly thrice a day to ensure healthy growth.

Cultivation Method for Button Mushroom:

To obtain the good quality button mushroom light, temperature, and humidity must be carefully controlled but the excess of CO2 in the room can ruin the desired shape of the mushrooms.

Temperature and humidity were tried to maintain by boiling water in drums, flow water on the floor and by using the exhaust fan.

The grown mushrooms were sold out at the NARC sale point at Rs.100 and Rs.200 g packets.

Cultivation Method for Button Mushroom:

Particular Value (Rs.) % of Total Cost

Room rent 1125 4.0

Wheat straw 5000 17.77

Gypsum 600 2.13

Poultry farm waste 550 1.95

Triangle for compost turning 17.5 0.06

Polythene sheets 350 1.24

Drums 100 0.36

Bricks 12 0.04

Polythene bags 160 0.57

Gas/fire wood 900 3.20

Thread 25 0.09

Frame 50 0.18

Casing material 325 1.16

Spawn price 7500 26.66

Sharp knives used for picking 2.5 0.01

Disposable gloves for picking 40 0.14

Hand pump 8 0.03

Water 1080 3.84

Labor 3375 11.99

Packing material 2000 7.11

Miscellaneous 3900 13.86

Interest on operating capital rate @15% 1017 3.61

Total cost (Rs./ha) 28137 100

Total Revenue (Rs./ha) 77800 -

Net Return (Rs./ha) 49663 -

Returns per rupee investment 1.77 -

The study has been conducted to estimate the cost of production of button mushroom and to find the economic feasibility of mushroom cultivation for small scale farmers.

The results of the study have indicated that the mushroom production is economically feasible as it can give maximum net return to the farmers by reducing their cost of production. Its cultivation is dependent on the agricultural raw material which is cheaply available to the farmers.

It involves less investment but can give the farmer the more return on per rupee investment.

Mushroom production is economically important can contribute to the economy in terms of nutritional value and reduce unemployment. Mushrooms are called “white gold”

Meeting the food demand for the increasing population from the limited land resource is a big challenge. The global food and nutritional security of growing population is a great challenge, which looks for new crop as source of food and nutrition.

In this context, mushrooms find a favour which can be grown even by landless people, that too on waste material and could be a source for proteineous food.

Economics important of Mushroom

Nutritional Security Agriculture is the key factor for the development of the

countries. Quality food, health and environment are the major concerns facing our country. Mushroom cultivation helps to address the issue of nutritional security and also provides solution for proper recycling of agro-wastes.

In addition to good quality protein, no cholesterol, high fibre, low sodium, good quantity of vitamins and minerals, the mushrooms also have bioactive compounds like b-glucans, proteinpolysaccharide complexes that impart unique medicinal values like anti-cancer and anti-viral properties.

The folic acid present in oyster mushrooms helps to cure anemia. It is suitable for people with hyper-tension, obesity and diabetes due to its low sodium : potassium ratio, starch, fat and calorific value. Alkaline ash and high fibre content makes them suitable for consumption for those having hyperacidity and constipation.

Lanless farmers Mushroom cultivation requires very little

land and can be good source of employment for small and lanless farmers, educated youth and women.

Indoor cultivation of mushrooms utilizes the vertical space and is regarded as the highest protein producer per unit area and time-almost 100 times more than the conventional agriculture and animal husbandry.

Market Demand Major issues which are confronting and are

likely to continue to do so in foreseeable future are:

i) population growth, ii) income growth and iii) urbanization.

During the next 18-20 years these factors will determine the demand for food in general and mushrooms in particular throughout the world, especially in the developing countries.

The rate of population growth is still high in developing countries as compared to developed countries.

Future Market Demand for Mushroom With the growing awareness for nutritive and

quality food by growing health conscious population, the demand for food including mushrooms is quickly rising and will continue to rise with increase in global population which will be 8.3 million by 2025.

The mushroom cultivation has grown up in almost all the parts of the world and during last three decades, the world mushroom production achieved the growth rate of about 10%.

Globally, China is the leading producer of mushrooms with more than 70% of the total global production, which is attributed to community based farming as well as diversification of mushrooms.

Agro-wastes Recyled It is estimated that India is generating 600

million metric tons of agricultural waste besides, fruit and vegetable residue, coir dust, husk, dried leaves, prunnings, coffee husk, tea waste which has potential to be recycled as substrate for mushroom production leading to nutritious food as well as organic manure for crops.

Commercial production of edible mushrooms bioconverts the agricultural, industrial, forestry and household wastes into nutritious food (mushrooms).

Labour intensive Mushroom production being an indoor

activity, labour intensive and high profit venture provides ample opportunities for gainful employment of small, farmers, landless labourers, women and unemployed youth.

Therefore, promotion of mushroom cultivation shall a step to meet nutritional needs to reduce malnutrition and providing livelihood to landless poor.

Income Benefits Mushroom cultivation activities can play an important

role in supporting the local economy by contributing to subsistence food security, nutrition, and medicine; generating additional employment and income through local, regional and national trade; and offering opportunities for processing enterprises (such as pickling and drying).

Income from mushrooms can supplement cash flow, providing either:

• a safety net during critical times, preventing people falling into greater poverty; • a gap-filling activity which can help spread income and generally make poverty more bearable through improved nutrition and higher income; or• a stepping stone activity to help make people less poor, or even permanently lift them out of poverty.

Sustainability. One of the major areas that can contribute

towards goal of conservation of natural resources as well as increased productivity is recycling of agro-wastes including agro-industrial waste. Utilizing these wastes for growing mushrooms can enhance income and impart higher level of Sustainability.

value-added products.

Being an indoor crop, the commodity provides immense opportunities for empowerment of rural and urban women through cultivation and also the production of value-added products.