In line with the increasing demand for mushroom spawn and promoting mushroom cultivation in the region, the Mushroom Spawn Production Unit (MSPU) at Khangma was established in 2015 under the ARDC Wengkhar and technically linked to the National Mushroom Centre, Wangchutaba. On average, the unit produces 9,000 bottles of Shiitake and 4000 bottles of Oyster mushroom spawn in a year, with supports from various sources particularly CARLEP-IFAD since 2016-17 FY. Oyster mushroom production has increased by almost 36% in FY 2018-19.

CARLEP – IFAD extended supports in improving the tools and equipment, training and actual intensification of the mushroom cultivation in the region. Considering the potential of the crop and its suitability in the region, the MSPU at Khangma has started targeting farmers, schools and institutions both at a small scale as well as commercial-scale production. Since 2016 to 2019, with fund from CARLEP – IFAD, the unit has inoculated about 122,000 oak billets with Shiitake mushroom covering 237 growers and, about 27, 000 bags with an oyster mushroom on straw substrate covering about 100 growers. About 6 growers on commercial-scale have also initiated investment through credit support, opening up opportunities of credit investment in mushroom cultivation and promotion of mushroom enterprise.

With increasing uptake of mushroom cultivation by farmers, the requirement of mushroom spawn especially oyster mushroom spawn is on the rise. As there is an opportunity to promote oyster mushroom spawn production as an enterprise, the MSPU in 2018-19 FY began taking oyster spawn production targeting youths as an enterprise. The establishment of enterprise is not only in line with the objectives of the 12^th FYP, but can also be a better strategy for the MSPU as more time will be provided to research and promotion if spawn production is gradually given to enterprises.

Youth Entrepreneurs Taking up Mushroom Spawn Production

Three young entrepreneurs with higher secondary education and bachelor’s degree were selected based on the location, interest of the individuals and field experiences. These entrepreneurs are placed in Pemathang and Langchenphu under Samdrup Jongkhar and, Tsakaling under Mongar. They were provided with hands-on training on how to produce mushroom spawn. In addition, a proper investment indicating both project and beneficiary contributions of the Spawn Production Unit was worked out. At initial, a unit will start with an annual target of 2000 bottles of spawn which will be upscaled based on demand. A total of Nu.387,450 per unit as shown in Table 1 was invested with 50:50 contributions between the project support and beneficiary contribution, excluding the charges on land as it was owned by entrepreneurs.  The project supports include equipment while the beneficiary contribution is mostly in infrastructures and a few other raw materials required for the enterprise.

Table 1. Cost of production of a spawn production unit

Except for Langchenphug’s entrepreneur, the other two have started producing commercial oyster mushroom spawn. At the moment, two entrepreneurs from Pemathang and Tsakaling are developing 650 and 1000 bottles of spawn respectively. In a year, these entrepreneurs will be able to develop about 2000 bottles of spawn. The spawn produced will then be sold to other farmers in the locality taking up oyster cultivation.

As the entrepreneurs are scaling up their production, the MSPU/ARDSC Khangma will scale down oyster spawn production and focus on other mushrooms spawn development and research. This will be done to encourage the full utilization of the spawns developed by entrepreneurs. Simultaneously, the MSPU will be monitoring their spawn production.

With the growing popularity, spawn production, oyster and shiitake cultivation is opening up opportunities to promote mushroom as an enterprise.

–Tshering Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen and Cheten Wangchuk, MPSU ARDSC Khangma