Mushroom Farming in India
🌱 Introduction: Mushroom Farming – High Profit in Less Space
With changing agricultural trends, Indian farmers are exploring profitable alternatives. Among them, mushroom farming has become one of the most searched and practiced agribusiness options.
Why?
Because it requires less space, low investment, and offers quick profits with growing market demand.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to start mushroom farming at home, including required materials, process, cost, types, government support, and marketing tips — all in simple English.
🏠 How to Do Mushroom Farming at Home?
Yes, you can start mushroom farming even from a room in your house or small shade in your backyard.
🧾 Required Items:
- Clean, ventilated room (even 6×8 ft is enough)
- Bamboo baskets or polybags
- Wheat or paddy straw
- Mushroom spawn (seed)
- Water spray and shading setup
🍄 Common Types of Mushrooms Grown in India
| Mushroom Type | Suitability | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Button Mushroom | Most popular commercial type | Winter |
| Oyster Mushroom | Best for beginners & indoors | All seasons |
| Milky Mushroom | Suitable for hot regions | Summer |
👉 For beginners, Oyster Mushroom is the easiest and fastest-growing option.
🔧 Step-by-Step Oyster Mushroom Farming Process
1. Substrate Preparation
- Soak wheat/paddy straw in water for 12 hours
- Drain and squeeze to remove excess moisture
- Boil for 1 hour to kill bacteria
- Let it cool and spread on clean surface
2. Spawn Mixing
- Fill straw layer by layer in bags/baskets
- Add mushroom spawn between each layer
- Close the bag tightly
3. Incubation Period (15–20 days)
- Store bags in dark room with 22–28°C temperature
- Spray water twice daily to maintain humidity
- White mycelium (fungal web) will spread inside
4. Fruiting Stage (Next 10–15 days)
- Cut holes in the bags for air circulation
- Place in lighted, humid environment
- Maintain 85–90% humidity
- Mushrooms will start to appear in 7–10 days
5. Harvesting & Selling
- Harvest when mushroom caps are fully grown
- Sell in local market, hotels, or online
- One bag yields approx. 1.5–2.5 kg mushrooms
💰 Cost and Profit Estimation (for 10 bags)
| Item | Approx. Cost (₹) |
|---|---|
| Straw | ₹200 |
| Spawn | ₹500 |
| Polybags | ₹100 |
| Misc. (tools/water) | ₹100 |
| Total | ₹900–₹1000 |
Production: 20–25 kg
Selling Price: ₹120–₹200/kg
Total Income: ₹2400–₹5000
➡️ Profit: More than 150%
✅ Pro Tips for Mushroom Farming
- Start with Oyster Mushroom, then scale to Button or Milky
- Target local markets – hotels, restaurants, mandis
- Use branding and packaging to attract higher prices
- Reuse spent compost as organic fertilizer
- Consistency is key to success
🍽️ Button Mushroom Farming (Winter Crop)
🌡️ Ideal Conditions:
- Temperature: 16°C – 22°C
- Best Season: October to February
🧾 Materials Needed:
- Button mushroom spawn
- Special compost (prepared with wheat straw, chicken manure)
- Casing soil (sterilized soil layer)
- Shaded room with controlled humidity
🔄 Process:
- Compost Preparation (20–25 days):
Prepare and ferment compost using straw, manure, and urea.
Disinfect with formalin/carbendazim at the end. - Spawning:
- Spread compost in beds/trays
- Add spawn 2–3 cm deep
- Maintain 22°C temperature
- Mycelium Growth:
- White web-like growth appears in 12–14 days
- Keep the room dark and humid
- Casing Layer:
- Add 1-inch layer of moist casing soil (soil + sand)
- Mushrooms start appearing in 7–10 days
- Harvesting:
- Pick when caps are firm and 2–3 cm in size
- Repeat harvesting every 3–4 days
💰 Cost & Income (for 100 bags):
| Item | Approx. Cost (₹) |
|---|---|
| Compost | ₹4000 |
| Spawn | ₹2500 |
| Casing Material | ₹1000 |
| Misc. | ₹2000 |
| Total | ₹9500 |
Yield: 150–180 kg
Selling Price: ₹150–₹250/kg
Total Income: ₹22,500 – ₹45,000
➡️ Profit: ₹12,000 – ₹35,000 per crop cycle
🥛 Milky Mushroom Farming (Summer Crop)
🔥 Ideal Conditions:
- Temperature: 28°C – 35°C
- Season: April to October
- Best Areas: Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh
🧾 Requirements:
- Milky mushroom spawn (Calocybe Indica)
- Paddy/wheat straw
- Transparent plastic bags
- Humid, clean space
- Sprayer and shade
🔄 Process:
- Soak & Boil Straw:
Soak for 6–8 hrs → Boil/steam for 1 hr → Cool - Spawning:
Fill bags with layers of straw and spawn - Incubation (18–20 days):
- Keep bags in warm, dark place
- Mycelium spreads fully inside bag
- Fruiting Stage:
- Cut the bag open
- Spray water 2–3 times daily
- Mushrooms grow in 7–10 days
- Harvesting:
- Harvest when cap size is 10–12 cm
- Sun-dry or refrigerate immediately
💰 Cost & Profit (for 50 bags):
| Item | Approx. Cost (₹) |
|---|---|
| Straw | ₹300 |
| Spawn | ₹1000 |
| Plastic Bags | ₹200 |
| Misc. | ₹500 |
| Total | ₹2000 |
Yield: 40–50 kg
Selling Price: ₹150–₹250/kg
Total Income: ₹6000 – ₹12,500
➡️ Profit: ₹4000 – ₹10,000 per batch
🏛️ Government Support & Training Resources
Indian farmers can receive training, subsidy, and startup kits from government bodies.
Important Questions and Answers (FAQ): Mushroom Farming
Q1: How to start mushroom farming?
Answer:
First, choose the type of mushroom (e.g., button, oyster, milky). You’ll need proper straw, spawn (seeds), moisture, and a shaded space. The cultivation process includes preparing the substrate, seeding, mycelium growth, and harvesting.
Q2: How to grow mushrooms at home?
Answer:
You can grow oyster or milky mushrooms at home in a clean room, garage, or terrace. You’ll need plastic bags, straw, mushroom spawn, and regular moisture maintenance.
Q3: What is the cost of mushroom farming?
Answer:
Small-scale farming costs around ₹800–₹2000 initially. As you scale up, both cost and production increase. One bag yields about 1.5–2.5 kg of mushrooms.
Q4: Which mushroom is best for beginners?
Answer:
Oyster mushrooms are ideal for beginners—they grow quickly, require simple techniques, and have high market demand.
Q5: Is mushroom farming profitable?
Answer:
Yes! It’s a highly profitable agribusiness with low investment and space requirements. Market demand for mushrooms is rising rapidly.
Q6: Is there government support for mushroom farming?
Answer:
Yes! ICAR, KVKs (Krishi Vigyan Kendras), and state governments offer training, subsidies, and loans. For details, visit: https://icar.org.in/en/node/7034.
Q7: How much yield per bag?
Answer:
One bag typically produces 1.5–2.5 kg, depending on the mushroom type and environmental control.
Q8: Can mushrooms be grown indoors?
Answer:
Yes! Mushrooms can be successfully grown indoors in a clean, humid, and shaded room.
Q9: How to prevent mushrooms from spoiling?
Answer:
After harvesting, dry them in shade or refrigerate. Store in airtight plastic bags to retain freshness (lasts 4–5 days).
Q10: Where to sell mushrooms?
Answer:
Sell in local markets, restaurants, grocery stores, supermarkets, or online (Amazon, Flipkart, BigBasket). Direct local buyers are most profitable.
Q11: Monthly profit from mushroom farming?
Answer:
Starting with 100 bags, you can earn ₹15,000–₹35,000/month, depending on scale and marketing.
Q12: Can mushrooms be grown without chemicals?
Answer:
Yes! Mushrooms can be grown organically using straw, water, and spawn—no fertilizers or pesticides needed.
Q13: Can women or elderly people do mushroom farming?
Answer:
Absolutely! It requires minimal physical labor, making it ideal for women, students, and seniors to earn from home.