MUSHROOM CULTIVATION IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH: ISSUES, CHALLENGES AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY

ABSTRACTIn Arunachal Pradesh where farming is challenging and land is fragmented and the area hasclimatic variations and high transportation expenses, mushroom cultivation is gaining traction asan alternative means of agricultural diversification and betterment for the rural population. Themushroom industry has great potential in the state due to its diverse agro-climatic conditions,availability of agricultural residues and the growing institutional support. In particular, Oystermushroom (Pleurotus spp.) can be grown with locally available substrates like paddy straw,maize residues, black gram waste and mungbean residues. This study highlights the scope,economics of mushroom cultivation, various challenges and future prospects of mushroomculture in Arunachal Pradesh. It uses descriptive and analytical research design with primarysources of information being secondary in nature, collected from ICAR, Krishi Vigyan Kendras,peer-reviewed studies, institutional demonstrations and empirical studies carried out during thelast decade. Economic viability is evaluated using cost return analysis, net return, benefit costratio, cost of production and resource use considerations. The evidence available suggests thatmushroom production is a potentially profitable enterprise, as evidenced by BCRs that aregreater than one for various sized farms. The lack of technical information, frequent nonavailability of quality spawn, substrate restrictions, transportation costs, perishability, lack ofadequate cold-chain and post-harvest facilities, market fluctuations, poor organized marketingand resource-use inefficiency are key constraints, however. The study concludes that mushroomfarming has the potential to create jobs for rural people, empower women, create jobs for theyouth, provide nutrition security and utilise the agricultural waste. It suggests mushroomclusters, decentralized mushroom spawn production, training, low cost production units, coldchain facilities, value addition, linkages with SHG–FPOs and digital marketing and institutionalsupport for the development of a commercially viable and sustainable mushroom value chain inArunachal Pradesh.