Mushroom farming, one of the promising and profitable enterprises, has gained popularity in Narail as one of the agro allied professions to traditional agriculture.
According to the Department of the Agricultural Extension (DAE), mushrooms are now being cultivated commercially in different areas of the district.
According to sources, mushroom is being grown for various purposes, including food, medicine, and other products. The farming is increasing in the district day by day as it offers a profitable and sustainable agricultural venture.
The increased interest is driven by the relatively low investment, high yield potential, and growing demand for mushrooms, both locally and internationally.
With the cooperation of the Agriculture Department, about 30 small entrepreneurs including young farmer Asit Basu of Alokdia village of Shahabad union in Sadar upazila have started mushroom cultivation in the district and they are cultivating different varieties of fungi, specifically mushrooms.
Agriculture officials said that mushroom cultivation in this district is increasing day by day due to its huge demand in the markets and its good prices.
Mushroom farmer Asit said he initially started mushroom cultivation in a corner of his house after receiving training from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
Initially, he started with 50 spawns, but currently there are about 2,000 spawns in Asit's farm.
He creates a suitable environment for mushroom cultivation by mixing straw, wood powder, wheat husk, calcium lime and water.
After sterilizing, he keeps them in the lab for 28 days to prepare mother tissue. Then, he cultivated delicious edible mushrooms in the packets in a special environment.
In Asit's house, it was seen that white mushrooms had come out of the polythene-wrapped packet in a half-ripe tin house. He started this cultivation on his own initiative with the advice of the griculture Department and has now become a successful entrepreneur.
He also said, I am the son of a farmer's family. With the help of the agriculture office, I received 10 days of training on mushroom cultivation in Dhaka.
Later, I started cultivating mushrooms at home. Last time, I earned Taka 3.5 lakh by selling mushroom chops at the youth fair. Currently, I earn Taka 11 to 12 thousand per month by selling those.
Local youth Arafat Hossain said, I was inspired by Asit's mushroom cultivation and decided to cultivate it myself. I will also start cultivating mushrooms in a few days.
Asit's success has encouraged local and neighboring farmers to cultivate mushrooms.
Narail Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Rokunuzzman said the Agriculture Department is providing maximum support to the farmers by giving priority to mushroom cultivation.
Those interested are being trained and materials are being provided, he said.
Training and resources are being made available to those who are interested to cultivate mushrooms, he said, adding that the Agriculture department also to provide support to those who are willing to learn and improve their skills about mushroom cultivation.
We are trying to create mushroom villages with small entrepreneurs. If educated unemployed youth are interested in mushroom cultivation, self-employment will be created for them, the official added.
This is a good opportunity to create employment especially for women.
There has already been a good response among the consumers here.
If the market for mushrooms is created more, its cultivation will also expand rapidly, he remarked.
