Mushroom man reaps rich harvest
Farmer Ajay Pal Singh Yadav has taken mushroom cultivation to a much higher level
LUCKNOW: With growing demand, mushroom cultivation is no longer a rarity but a few innovative farmers have taken it to yet another level. One such is 33-year-old Ajay Pal Singh Yadav, who has earned the ‘title’ of ‘mushroom man’ among the local growers and sellers. On an average, Yadav produces 70kg to 100kg mushrooms per day in a season, (much higher than regular mushroom growers) and earns up to Rs 40,000 daily.
“Mushroom farming is no rocket science. I believe it was an amalgamation of technique, timing, hard-work and of course ‘Bhole ki kripa’ that made me what I am today,” said Ajay Pal, who hails from Ajrayal Pur village of Bakshi Ka Talab development block in Lucknow.
Quitting traditional milk business
Ajay Pal’s journey from scratch to a successful mushroom grower was not easy. In 2008, he decided to start a business to assist his farmer father in meeting the expenses of the family of eight. However, he preferred the traditional milk business.
“That was the easiest business to start. But dignity missing in the milk business. Despite hard work and honesty, people used to doubt my credibility. I often heard them saying ‘doodh mein paani kitna milate ho’. This was why I quit selling milk,” he recollected.
Yadav said he then came across a farmer selling mushrooms in the vegetable market. “The milky white colour attracted my attention and I approached him but that person misguided me. I invested Rs 25000 in mushroom farming and due to the wrong technique, the crop was spoiled and I suffered heavy loss,” he added. That was the time when his family refused to support him anymore. The villagers used to laugh at him and often said that he had gone mad. “But I stuck to my aim. I am thankful to that person who misguided me as he gave me the reason to try hard. I approached the horticulture department where people guided me to the right technique and I again invested Rs 25,000 and this time I hit a jackpot. I earned Rs 52,000 at one go,” he added.
“Since then, I never looked back. I gradually increased the farming area and over the years, it increased from 25 x 25 feet to 140 x 50 feet. With the farming area, the profit and the production of mushroom too increased manifold. In 2019, on an average I produced around 80kg to 100 kg a day in entire the mushroom season that starts from November and ends in March. The production was a little low in 2020 due to Covid-19 but this year, it is again in full swung,” he said.
But the high production of mushrooms didn’t make him increase his expenses. Despite the high production, he hasn’t hired any loader to dispatch the yield. He loads it all on his motorbike and delivers it himself. “I believe delivering mushrooms on my own is a good way to collect feedback and to ensure a personal touch,” he said. He ensures the supply of mushroom at almost all prominent vegetable markets within Lucknow and in the neighbouring districts.
Re-gained lost dignity
Yadav’s success made him famous in his village. He said mushroom farming not only helped him financially but also in gaining dignity.
His skills also fetched him a shield and a certificate of appreciation from the Raj Bhawan. “The Raj Bhawan has been felicitating me since 2016 during the annual flower and vegetable show that it organises every year,” he added.
Dr SK Chauhan, a senior official with the horticulture department, also admired Yadav’s skills and said, “We often invite him to share his experience with the people who approach us for mushroom farming training.”