Kashmir new cash crop mushroom brings good news for its women

Women-led self-help groups under various entrepreneurship schemes introduced by the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir have encouraged more and more women into mushroom farming.

For example, Rukaya Mushtaq, 29, a post-graduate, and her friend Sobiya Jan from south Kashmir's Pulwama district instead of running after government jobs, started her own mushroom cultivation farm to earn livelihood with her income earned manifold within a short span of time. “It is better to start a mushroom unit and get good income than to get a private job which only fetches paltry income. In 2021, I along with my friend set up mushroom farm through the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM) scheme. The department of agriculture provided us not just a 100 per cent subsidy to start the mushroom unit but also imparted the training.”

The government has also been providing a 25 per cent subsidy on the purchase of mushroom-growing racks and a 50 per cent subsidy on a fixed number of ready-made bags for first-time mushroom cultivators.

Mushtaq says, mushrooms are sold at a price of Rs 180-200 per kg in different markets of the Valley.

After completing a master's degree in Urdu, Mushtaq along with her friend started to grow mushrooms inside her home in Dardsara village of Tral in Pulwama, 8 km from Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

The optimal temperature for the cultivation of mushrooms ranges between 23 to 25 degree Celsius which is why Kashmir is considered an ideal region for its cultivation. During winter, however, a small heater is used to stabilise the room climate for mushroom growth.

In order to earn a livelihood to run her poverty-ridden family, the 26-year-old Hamrah Zainab started the mushroom farming unit in Khanda area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district. “My father, who is a labourer by profession, is ailing and suffering from back pain. My younger brother lost his eyesight and cannot work and another brother is studying in Class XI. The onus was on me to provide for my family and, therefore, I approached JKRLM and started the mushroom farming unit in May this year,” says Zainab.

In her first attempt, Zainab, who is doing post-graduation in economics, claims to have harvested 1 quintals of mushrooms and earned around Rs 20,000. “I am happy that, at least, I am able to help my family to run the daily expenses. I had invested Rs 15,000 and on the first attempt, I, like other farmers, managed to get a 100 per cent subsidy from the government. I am expecting more yield and more profits during the next farming season,” Zainab, the sole bread earner of the family tells Moneycontrol.

Her story echoes far beyond the confines of Budgam, serving as a powerful reminder that women are breaking stereotypes and reshaping their destinies.

Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal, director, Agriculture Kashmir, tells Moneycontrol that since mushrooms have a good market compared to fresh vegetables, more and more women are in the race to pursue mushroom farming in Kashmir. “There are more than 150 women in Kashmir associated with mushroom farming. We have been getting hundreds of applications from women to start mushroom units.”

Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yogna (National Agriculture Development Programme) the mushroom growers are given quality seeds and new cultivation techniques to increase mushroom cultivation.

Madina Bukhari, district programme manager JKRLM Srinagar, tells Moneycontrol that mushroom farming is picking up among women associated with  community-centric women-focussed programmes at JKRLM.

The mandate of JKRLM, Bukhari says, is to encourage the women to  create, enhance and upscale their livelihood generating activities with a special focus on farm-based livelihood activities. With the support from the allied departments as that of agriculture department and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK), JKRLM has been providing training and skilling up women self help groups on mushroom farming. “Almost every woman wants to pursue mushroom farming since it does offer several advantages such as low investment and space requirements, short cultivation cycle and high market demand,” says Bukhari.

Iqbal adds, “Mushroom farming is preferred by women because house wives while doing house work also spend time in mushroom farms and make a good income. The seeds are planted in poly bags containing compost and are kept on long wooden benches inside the small room.”

The seeds are planted in poly bags containing compost and are kept on long wooden benches inside the small room. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Similarly, for the past three years Urba Shafiq Sidiq, popularly known as “mushroom girl of Kashmir” has been growing organic mushrooms in central Kashmir’s Nagbal area of Ganderbal district.

“The mushrooms grown in Kashmir are 100 per cent pesticide-free because the hygiene and health of people has always been my priority. A large size of population in Kashmir are suffering from various ailments including hypertension and diabetes therefore I started mushroom unit, “The Mush-House” to give people fat free and sodium free crop packed with Vitamin B which otherwise is available in animal sources,” says Sidiq a food technologist from Srinagar’s Lal Bazar area.

Last year, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha awarded Sidiq the best progressive farmer from Srinagar and Ganderbal district. The 27-year-old entrepreneur claims to be harvesting mushrooms twice a year, due to which her annual turnover is between Rs 3 lakh-4 lakh. “I am a successful mushroom entrepreneur for two reasons. First, I have got the M. Tech degree in food technology due to which I am able to understand this field significantly more than others. Second, I do not work with middlemen who spoil the market of actual growers. I myself grow mushrooms and decide my own market.”

Sidiq suggests that people should not blindly choose mushroom farming  because there is a lot of research needed and the risk factor can also not be ruled out.

“A farmer should have a sound knowledge of mushroom farming. Mere government's 100 percent subsidy and success stories of a few women should not draw people towards it. Aspiring mushroom growers should know how, when and where to grow mushrooms because mushrooms are prone to diseases and the crop is highly perishable with a shelf life of a day or two,” says Sidiq, who is now being approached by several aspiring entrepreneurs for help with establishing similar units.

Mushtaq also blamed that low market of mushrooms disappoint growers in the Valley who ultimately incur losses. For example, she says, during the previous year, the crop did not find a good market because the delay caused crop discolouration. “The highly perishable crop has a limited shelf life and farmers producing mushrooms find it difficult to locate the buyer and sustain the supply.”

Iqbal however denied that the market of mushrooms is sluggish in Kashmir. “Whatever mushrooms we produce in Kashmir are consumed in the Valley only. There is a huge demand for the mushrooms throughout the year due to which it has emerged as a cash crop.”

Market for mushrooms is growing rapidly owing to nutritious values and special tastes. For instance, mushroom yakhni, a delicious curry cooked with yogurt and spices, has lately been introduced in Kashmir’s multi-course royal meal wazwan.