Amidst the challenges posed by traditional farming practices and changing climate conditions, the cultivation of mushrooms presents a unique opportunity for growth, diversification, and market access. Its short growth cycle, adaptability to different climates, low initial investment, and growing ability in relatively small spaces, have made it a viable option for both rural and urban settings.
Mahmud Parvez, a freelancer, has always desired to start his own business, and after observing the significance of Mushroom, he contemplated it as a game-changer opportunity. So, he joined the training offered by the National Mushroom Development and Extension Center at Savar, and only after receiving one day of training, he started cultivation on a smaller scale by using the mushroom cylinder that was provided by them.
He stated: “I was given 20 cylinders of 1kg, and after around 1.5 to 2 months of cultivation, I was able to produce approximately 20kg of mushroom, whose wholesale price was about Tk4,000. Here my input cost was only the cylinder cost that I bought from the training center at a Tk45 rate. Since I started farming from my home, and except for water, no other inputs were required for the production, so my input cost was only Tk900. Where I produced around Tk4,000 worth of western mushroom.”
According to his statement, at 1,000 square feet of land, about 15 to 20 thousand cylinders of 1kg can be cultivated, and if one decides to make these cylinders by themselves, then the cost will be reduced to Tk35-38.
However, after deciding to start it on a larger scale by leasing land near Savar, he started to realize the problem, which was the high rent for leasing land. Firstly, due to the lack of knowledge about mushroom farming, many landowners did not want to lease land.
If one had agreed to lease, the rental cost would be around Tk8,000-20,000 monthly, and since the production process requires shading, an extra Tk60,000-70,000 shading cost would also be included.
Another challenge he faced was due to the limited access to the market. Though he has the opportunity to sell the mushrooms at the center where he has taken the training, he has to stay near the training center so that the transaction cost won’t be too high. Because the training center won’t be sending people to collect the mushrooms. The producer has to send them at their own risk. Besides this, since mushrooms dry very quickly and the selling price depends on their weight, if the distance between the producer and the center is too long, and the selling amount is small, then the farmer won’t be able to earn much.
Though dry mushroom is sold at a higher rate, it won’t be profitable if it’s not sold in a larger amount, and to sell in a larger amount, production has to be maximized, which is very costly for a poor farmer or even for a middle-class producer. Even selling them in a smaller amount is very troublesome, because vegetable vendors, restaurants, and hotels, which are the potential customers for fresh mushrooms, are not sustainable options.
Due to these barriers, despite having diversification, it’s unable to attract local growers to produce mushrooms. However, Parvez has still not given up the idea of the mushroom business. He is planning to start from his village, which is in Gopalgonj. Since it will allow him to save a larger amount of leasing money. In a village, he can rent the land at a Tk1,800-2,000 rate yearly. Shading costs will also be minimized there.
Besides this, in his village, most of the people work as brickfield laborers and are engaged in microfinance, so he is planning to give them training about mushroom cultivation along with the cylinder, on the condition that they will be selling this mushroom to him. It will allow the villagers to earn money easily, and even women can easily engage in this farming, which will reduce the migration for work. On the other hand, in the long term, Parvez will be able to create his own firm.
Mushroom cultivation in Bangladesh is not merely a trend but a thriving industry with the potential to reshape the nation's economic destiny. This agricultural diversification is gathering momentum, offering a fresh outlook on income generation, particularly for smallholders and rural communities. As Bangladesh marches forward in its quest for economic development, mushrooms may very well be the fungi that lead the way.
Pallima Prakriti Saha and Faima Sani Meem are pursuing their MSS in Economics at East West University.
