Mushroom farming fetches 30-yr old ₹1.5 lakh a month
Source: Chronicle News Service / Ngangom Suraj

Imphal, December 08 2023: Translating the famous inspiring quote, "First LEARN and then remove the 'L" of American businessman, investor, philanthropist and current CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, into reality, Chirom Menaka, a BSc Agriculture graduate has become a successful mushroom farmer, earning an enviable amount of Rs 1.5 to Rs 1.7 lakh a month.

Graduated from Hemva-ti Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University in Uttarakhand in 2014,30-year-old Menaka Devi is the daughter of Chirom Kaka Singh and Merna Devi of Thongju Pheija Leitong in Imphal East district.

She along with her partner Phurailatpam Charuchandra Singh, son of Ph Tombi Sharma and Aribam Sanatombi of Sagolband Tera Sayang Pukhri Mapal runs a mushroom farm at Langol Wangdei registered as Mahei Marong Argo Solution Limited Liability Partnership.

Even more significant is that she also runs an outlet named, "Mahei Marong Agri Clinic" at Canchipur, MU Road, providing consultation to farmers regarding crop management, pest control, etc., free of cost.

Though successful now, Mena-ka had to endure hardships including financial, space and manpower constraints when she started the venture way back in 2020 from her residence on a small scale.

In addition, she had to struggle to keep up with the ever-changing market strategies, crop failure and pest control as everything was experimental.

She now runs two semi-automatic climate-controlled sheds measuring 30x13 and 20x17 feet, housing 700 to 800 bags in a crop cycle.

In an exclusive interview, Chirom Menaka recalled that she had always wanted to pursue Agriculture as a career and also to help the farmers of the state who are mostly poor and deprived of proper education and lived marginally.

"With firm believe and putting in all the knowledge I have learnt, I started cultivating mushroom in the year 2020 with only 50-100 bags.

Now, I cultivate more than 800 bags in a crop cycle.

A bag produces roughly 1 kg of mushroom which could be sold at Rs 180 to 200 per kilogram depending on the seasons," she said.

Sharing the difficulties she faced during the initial stage of her business venture, Menaka said she had to struggle for financial support and even her proposal under the startup scheme was rejected as farming is simply considered not innovative.

There were even times when her mushrooms were infected by pest, resulting in huge loss.

In addition, market inflation due to rise in numbers of seasonal farmers greatly affected her business, she stated.

Stressing the need for involvement of professionals in the agriculture sector so as to improve the living standard of the farmers in Manipur, she expressed concern that most students who have studied agriculture and allied subjects never opt for farming as a career but rather chase for government jobs.

"I have come across many agriculture students who are not able to get the preferred job in the agriculture department and are now joining coaching centres to prepare for banking or SSC examinations.

Perhaps, they considered agriculture as some dirty job.

I wish they would rather apply the knowledge they have gained through their courses in the real world.

That could help mitigate the problem of food shortage in the state," she explained.

Pointing out that going organic is the best form of agriculture but there are instances where only chemical pesticide or fertilizer could save the crops, she said that farmers lack this much-needed knowledge and would simply think of utilising chemicals in quantity more than required.

That is where the Agro Clinic steps in to provide consultation free of cost to the farmers, Menaka maintained.

The clinic also helps farmers to opt for suitable crops according to their lands and seasons for better yields, she said, adding that, all kinds of pesticides, germicides and seeds are also made available at the clinic for the convenience of the farmers.

Maneka plans to apply loans so as to expand her farm in the near future and to provide job opportunities to as many people as possible.

She hoped that just like adding the prefix of Dr to the names of doctors and doctorate degree holders, adding "Fr" to the names of professional and successful farmers could help in motivating young people to choose agriculture or farming as their careers.

She urged the government and the authorities concerned to extend assistance to struggling farmers considering their importance in maintaining the economy of the state and also to conduct research and introduce modern agricultural techniques to the farmers so as to ensure profitable yields.

(The report has been filed under the 4th Award in Scientific Journalism Programme on the topic "Successful Entrepreneurship & Students Agriculture and allied sector", organised by Public Relation & Media Management Cell, Central Agricultural University, Lamphelpat, Imphal.

Dr Indira Thounaojam, Information and Publicity Officer and Head, PRMM Cell, CAU, Imphal can be contacted at prmmcell@gmail.

com for further related information) .

Comment