Kamakhyanagar: With COVID-19 scourge raging all over the world, thousands of people, particularly migrant workers, have lost their livelihood due to lockdown. They return home in hordes after work in factories and plants stopped.
However, the lockdown has not deterred many farmers in Kamakhynagar and Parjang areas of Dhenkanal from making use of this time. They started mushroom farming to keep their pot boiling.
They have set an example for others who have been sitting pretty losing all hopes at this time of crisis.
Mushroom cultivation is now picking up at Chulia, Mundasahi, Sibulapasi, Aluajharani, Mahuli under Kamkhyanagar block. Similarly, Patharjanga and Siarimalia under Parjang block are areas where farmers made use of the lockdown time to do mushroom farming.
Gradually, interest for mushroom is growing in the area as farmers don’t require much fund for this farming. Mushroom farming is suitable from February to October. Many farmers have preferred open sky for this farming.
Farmers said, “Mushroom cultivation is a technical process. It can become a money-making proposition with proper use of technology and experts’ guidance. It requires less manpower which is an advantage for a farmer.”
The horticulture department has provided training on mushroom farming to farmers.
Significantly, while major activities were paralyzed even in rural areas due to lockdown, these famers have not stopped this farming, another farmer said.
Farmhands engaged in this cultivation have also managed to generate income from this, he added. The mushroom produced here is sold in local market while some farmers sell it in other districts.
55-year old Artatrana Biswal of Chulia Mundasahi is a leading mushroom farmer in the area. “For the last 10 years, I have been doing mushroom farming. I always try to stock hay in advance. Hay of Rs 3 lakh is purchased every year during the paddy harvest.”
Biswal has engaged 20 to 30 farmhands in his farm. “As transportation has been hit by the lockdown, we have reduced mushroom production. Only four labourers were engaged. 150 kg of mushroom is sold everyday. Traders directly come here to buy my mushroom.”
Earlier, he was buying mushroom seeds from Dhenkanal and Talcher areas. Due to lockdown, they have to depend on local seeds, he added.
“Doing this type of farming is far better than migrating to other states for jobs to run families. Moreover, this farming has much scope for creating income-generation for local populace,” Biswal observed.
PNN