Kendrapara: Farmers here are reportedly turning away from mushroom cultivation citing lack of mandis (marketing facilities).
This development comes close on the heels of state Agriculture Minister Arun Sahoo’s statement in the Assembly that Odisha is the largest producer of lemon and mushroom in India.
Over 200 families under Rajnagar block are engaged in mushroom cultivation and each family earns at least Rs 7,000 per month. However, the farmers have expressed displeasure on timely sale of mushroom post harvest.
Some women mushroom farmers Padani Rout, Amita Das, Swarnalata Das and Saraswati Behera said that getting a job offer is like a dream for them in this district.
They had migrated to Andhra Pradesh and were working at a prawn gheri in the southern state. However, they had to return home after the farm was closed due to the outbreak of Covid pandemic.
They returned home but unavailability of livelihood opportunities always troubled them. They were struggling to earn for their family when Odisha Livelihood Mission formed self-help groups and encouraged them to take up mushroom cultivation as a livelihood initiative.
The women and girls got together and underwent training in 2016 before starting mushroom cultivation. Each family is now earning around Rs 7,000 from the cultivation per month.
They said that their produce has gained acceptance as a vegetarian food rich in iron and vitamins. It is popular as a food among people.
Earlier, mushroom was not available throughout the year and they have to wait till the rains. Now, mushroom cultivation has become a cottage industry in Rajnagar block.
The paddy straw mushroom cultivated by them is sold at Rs 200 to Rs 220 per kg in the retail market while the traders buy them from their doorsteps at Rs 180 per kg, the women farmers said.
However, lack of cold storages in the district to store their harvest is troubling them. They have to harvest the mushroom twice a day and sell it as soon as possible or else it will perish.
Often they have to resort to distress sale as it is perishable item. Lack of marketing facilities in the district has aggravated their problem. They demanded establishment of mandis in every panchayat.
Scientist Surya Narayan Mishra of Krishi Vigyan Kendra said the move has resolved the unemployment problem and made the women self-reliant in the district.
Mission Shakti project manager Kailash Senapati said efforts are on to establish over 200 mandis in various panchayats of the district.
PNN