Button mushroom – Temperate Mushroom – Anoop Badoni

The button mushroom is most popular variety both for domestic and export market. At global level it ranks first. The
major production is from Hitech Projects. However, Hitech projects faced several problems in successful production resulting in high cost of production. The main problems are quality of raw materials particularly, wheat/paddy straw, chicken manure and some times gypsum resulting in poor quality of compost and poor yield. Besides, high cost of imported cultures/ spawn, machineries and casing material are other impediments. In recent years even increasing cost of electricity has given severe blow to the mushroom industry. Several medium scale projects have started growing mushroom targeting big city markets utilizing indigenous machinery and equipment. However, during winter season hundreds of seasonal growers undertake button mushroom production particularly in Northern States targeting big cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, etc.
Advantages
There are good opportunities in India both for domestic and export market for button mushroom.
i. Seasonal production is possible in big way in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Bihar, West Bengal, North Eastern Region, Madhya Pradesh and other areas where temperature remains below 200C during winter season. In this situation cost of production is low.
ii. Raw materials are easily and cheaply available for compost and casing material.
iii. Awareness about food and medicinal values is increasing in the country thus creating better domestic market.
iv. Transport facilities are available both by land and air.
v. There is increasing market for postharvest products like pickle and soup powder.

Limitations
i. High cost of energy for year round production.
ii. Un-organized production and sale particularly by seasonal farmers.
iii. Lack of facilities to produce quality compost, casing material, spawn and processed products.