Success Story
Agri-business Opportunities in Mushroom Production and its Value Addition
Success story of Shri. Manas Ranjan Das from Cuttack,Odisha,
who is inspiring other entrepreneurs to take up self-employment activities in Mushroom Farming.
The sustainability and demand of Agri-entreprises motivated Shri. Manas Ranjan Das to invest in mushroom production, after attending a vocational training on around the year mushroom production conducted by KVK Cuttack in 2017. Though he is differently abled, his enthusiasm and dedication for innovative mushroom production made him a ARYA beneficiary of KVK Cuttack. Healso participated in KVK’s skill training program conducted on “Mushroom Cultivation and its Value Addition” from date 23rd to 27th February, 2021 under ARYA programme, where he acquired technical knowledge and skills on Mushroom production, its value addition, packaging, labelling, getting FSSAI License and a linkage with different line departments like NHB, District horticulture department etc. Now he is cultivating both paddy straw and oyster mushroom according to the season in different innovative methods throughout the year in his farm named after his wife “Ritanjali mushroom farm” who is also trained in mushroom cultivation and helps him in preparing value added products from mushroom. Recently also received the innovative farmer award by ICAR-NRRI Cuttack on the occasion of 77th Foundation day and Dhan Diwas of the institute.
Income-Earlier the Entrepreneur used to get annual income of Rs. 36,600/- from cultivation of Paddy straw mushroom. He faced problems like less production and contamination etc. With ARYA interventions like scientific cultivation practices, quality spawn, improved substrate pretreatment etc., Now he is getting annual income of Rs. 3,48,000/-. He also established a permanent structure in 300 sqm mushroom cropping area.
Impact of training on Mushroom production and its value addition
- Adoption of appropriate scientific behavior and technology: -Manas acquired knowledge and skill required for maintaining hygiene while following different processing practices. He also acquired technical skill for preparing different value added product from Oyster Mushroom which production is very high but selling price is low.
- Production of variety of products: – The training helped him to produce a variety of products from oyster mushroom including mushroom powder, pickles, biscuit, cookies, noodles, dry mushroom etc.
- Use of Machineries: – He established a small processing unit at his home with machineries required for preparation, packaging and sealing of the product.
- Obtaining FSSAI license: – Manas learned about proper labeling of the product and importance of a brand name mainly for processed products and also the relevance of FSSAI license. After the training he applied and obtained FSSAI license for its products with a brand name of Ritanjali Mushroom Farm Processed Products.
Motivating others
- Manas participate in training programs as resource person and trained nearly 700 trainees till date. A few interested SHG members also came to his unit for acquiring technical skills on mushroom cultivation and value addition of oyster mushroom.
- He has engaged one full time worker and one half time worker in his mushroom production unit.Thereby he gave employment to two persons of his locality.
- Till date along with training he provided practical exposure at his mushroom unit to nearly 1200 trainees from different govt. as well as non-Govt. organizations.
- KVK Cuttack also providing him platform through exhibitions, melas, and media coverage (https://fb.watch/emjc36f_05/) to showcase his mushroom value chain.
Income Enhancement through Capacity Building
Success story of Shri. Dharanidhar Nayak from Cuttack, Odisha,
who is a farmer having high adoptability of technological interventions not only made diversified farming as a profitable business but also a trend setter in the locality.
Shri. Dharanidhar Nayak proved in his locality that technology and scientific way of farming can make agriculture a profitable business. Prior to the intervention of Krishi Vigyan Kendra Cuttack he was only a marginal farmer having very less profit in farming. But we found him to be an early adopter and keep focusing him from 2016. Though our different mandated activity such as training, demonstration and focused group meeting he was educated and exposed to new technologies as well as science of modern agriculture. He was also linked to different organizations like ICAR-NRRI Cuttack, CSISA, OUAT Bhubaneswar and ICAR-CHEAS Bhubaneswar for more exposer and capacity building.
The technologies he was exposed to was advances in Rice cultivation like new verities, INM practices and scientific ways of dairying. The effect was experienced by Dharanidhar soon he implemented it in his farm. Crop diversification like sweetcorn, Finger millet and modern irrigation methods like drip and sprinkler was also accepted by Dharani which increase his profitability as well as reduces cost of production. He adopted resource conservation technologies like Green manuring and Soil Test Based Fertilizer Management which in turn boom his production as per his expectation. He from his farm income educate three children and maintain a good social life. In addition to field crops he was also trained in Scientific Dairy Farming and Fodder cultivation. His income enhancement was due to reduction in production cost, milk production and value addition in milk. To motivate him as well as his local farmers Krishi Vigyan Kendra nominated him for innovative farmer award by ICAR-NRRI Cuttack. After due process he conferred with award by ICAR-NRRI Cuttack on the occasion of 70th Foundation day and Dhan Diwas of the institute.
Income– The farmer used to get annual income of Rs. 70,750 from Rice, Green gram, Cow, etc. He faced problems like Market glut, low productivity, etc. With the Interventions like crop diversification, Capacity building, technological demonstrations, etc., he is getting annual income of Rs.2,15,786.In addition to this he is also a cost saving of Rs.6000 in the production of manure that is used to replace part of fertilizer.
Impact of skills for income enhancement
- Adoption of appropriate scientific behavior and technology: -Dharani acquired knowledge and skill required for scientific crop and milk production. He also acquired technical skill for preparing different value added product from Milk which minimizes storage loss of the processed product and higher price.
- Use of Machineries: – He uses Chaff Cutter, Drip and Sprinkler set for micro irrigation, Solar sprayer for reduction of drudgery in pesticide spraying.
- Cost cutting and value added product: – Dharani learned about proper dose time and source of fertilizer by which he reduces the cost of production. After the training he is able to produce clean milk and value added product like Panner which obtain higher market price and avoid market glut.
- Produced seed in seed village scheme by which farmers of that cluster able to get suitable seed verities at their locality.
Motivating others
- Mr Dharanidhar by his success motivate his villagers as well as nearby through which KVK technologies were now adopted and established in that cluster.
- He educates and also share some critical input among his farmer friends.
- By adopting diversification and overcome market glut the Sweet Corn is now grown in that locality in large area and by co-operative marketing Reliance Company is purchasing the produce in good price form the village.
Integrated Pest and Disease Management in Rice based Cropping System
High cost, unavailability of labour and increasing concerns about environmental and health hazards associated with chemical insecticides are providing impetus to farmers of Sankilo village of Nischintkoili block of Cuttack district for adopting environmentally safer alternative to manage the insect pest. Integrated approach for management of pest and disease were demonstrated in rice are Summer ploughing, Seed treatment of rice with Carbendazim @ 2 gm/kg seed, Application of cartap hydrochloride @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha in nursery 5-7 days before uprooting the seedling, Line transplanting of rice, Monitoring of YSB population @ 3 traps / week / acre with 5 mg lure and Need base application of Insecticides / Fungicides. Programme was implemented by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Cuttack with association of Chasi Bhai Krishak Club, Sankilo. Pest Control of India associated with this programme as quality input supplier and Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack for Scientific support. Higher average yield of paddy was recorded in demonstrated plots (46.75 q/ha) in comparison to check (42.50 q/ha) .One spraying of fungicides (Carbandazim @ 2gm/ltr water) and insecticides (Trizophos @ 2 ml/ltr water) was applied after 45-50 DAT in demo plot. Whereas in check plots farmers normally applied 2-3 spraying during crop period. Hence IPM technique reduce plant protection cost upto 50%.It is observed Less disease and pest infestation in IPM plots, 80 % farmers of village Sankilo are adopting seed treatment in Rice, Moong and in Vegetable. Tomato grower of this village started to use Tricoderma sp and Pseudomonas sp for seed treatment and also applied in main field. Farmers are now using pheromone traps for monitoring of brinjal fruit and shoot borer. With these efforts the concept of IPM has been popularized in rice based cropping system in Sankilo village and they are now fully confident about need base application of chemical insecticides in different crops for management of pest and disease. The adoption of summer ploughing is about 95%, Seed treatment is about 100% (all the members of the krishak club), Nursery seedling treatment is about 85%. The cost of plant protection has been reduced upto 50% with the effective pest management. The technology is now horizontally spreading to the neighboring villages.
Effect of Brown Manuring on Yield of Direct Seeded Rice
Chemical fertilizer use is predominant in the area is adversely affecting the soil health gradually reducing rice productivity. High fertilizer cost, unavailability of good quality organic manure. Stiff rise in input and labour cost decrease the CB ratio.Green manuring with Sesbania is also not acceptable due to untimely monsoon setting. So Brown Manuring in the context of direct seeded rice crop is co-culture of sesbania with Rice is the better option which rise a ray of hope for the farmers of Ganeswrapur and Chadhepada village of Tangi-Choudwar block. Farmers Sowing rice with Sesbania as co-culture at the rate 15Kg/ha. Growing sesbania with rice up to 20-25 days after sowing. At the stage sesbania start overtaking rice in height, application of herbicide 2-4 D @ 1.0 Kg ai/ha is done for knocking down effect. Sesbania starts wilting and after 4-5 days it will appear brown. In broadcasted rice the sesbania was mixed at the time of Beusaning or if line sown incorporated by weeder Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Cuttack provided training and implemented the programme. The IFFCO as a stake holder provide sesbania seeds to the farmer. The krusak Sathi of ATMA were being exposed to the technology and the results were being shared with them wider transmission of the message.
Parameters | Demonstration | Farmers practice | Increase over F.P.(%) |
---|---|---|---|
Grain Yield (q/ha) | 49.1 | 45.5 | 7.33 |
Organic Carbon (%) | 0.52 | 0.46 | 11.53 |
BC ratio | 1.66 | 1.54 | 7.22 |
Use of Nitrogen fertilizer was reduced upto 25 percent. A major problem in direct seeded rice at early stage was weed. Due to weed compitative ness of sesbania the problem was over come. As per the farmers perception point per sq mt. vermcast was higher in comparision to the farmers practice plot. The technology is in the process of horizontal spreading.
Broccoli Cultivation for higher remuneration
Cauliflower is one of the main vegetable crops in Cuttack district covering an area of 7 thousand ha. is problem. Net return per acre of cauliflower generally goes down due to market glut. There is a scope for high value crops in the Cuttack district under this situation. Farmers are interested to go for cultivation on high value crops like broccoli. Farmers cultivating broccoli in winter Season with a Seed rate of 400-500 gm/ha and spacing is 45cm X 45 CM or 45 cm X 30 cm. Its fertilizer does is NPK-80:100:100 kg/ha.Variety Suhani was cultivated by the farmers of Sankilo village of Nischintkoili block. Farmers are getting higher price in comparison to cauliflower. Cost of cultivation is relatively low in comparison to cauliflower. Higher cost benefit ratio is obtained by farmer (Broccoli : Cauliflower : : 5.3 : 2.8) Big Bazar and Reliance Fresh are purchasing the broccoli with a good price, which is helping the farmer for higher remuneration. Now the 60 numbers of farmers of village Sankilo and neraby started Broccoli cultivation with area 5 ha.in Nishchitacoli block of Cuttack district.