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| Dhingri Cultivation in Farmers Economics, in District Reasi | | | 
Adarsh Gupta
Dhingri Mushroom [Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus Sp.] belongs to Class Basidiomycetes and Family Agaricaceae is an edible mushroom which is easy to cultivate and has good nutritional benefits.
NABARD has financially sponsored a program for skill development of 100 farmers in District Reasi to train the farmers’ in Dhingri Mushroom Cultivation. An NGO “We Care Society” Reasi is the implementing agency for the program with expert guidance provided by Krishi Vigyan Kendre, Reasi and the Department of Agriculture, with support received from NRLM (UMEED). Under the program each farmer shall be provided with 5 kg Spawn (Seed) to take up the cultivation. The economic importance of the mushroom lies primarily in its use as food for human consumption. It is rich in Vitamin C and B complex and the protein content varies between 1.6 to 2.5 percent. It has most of the mineral salts required by the human body. The niacin content is about ten times higher than any other vegetables.
The present production of this crop in India is only around 1500 tonnes due to low levels of awareness and low domestic demand. In Reasi, the production of Dhingri is not well documented and it is learnt that there is no major producer of Dhingri. Compared to the button mushroom, Dhingri cultivation is much easier for farmers to grow as Dhingri takes lesser labour, lesser space, lesser time and minimal care. While button mushroom takes a longer period (about 30 days) for preparation of compost and its handling, the compost making in Dhingri takes about 2 days. In the process of Dhingri cultivation, the inputs needed are Spawn (Seed), Wheat Straw (Bhusa), formaldehyde and Carbendazim as disinfectants. Spawn is available in the price range of Rs. 100-120 per kg, while straw is mostly available with the farmers. The temperature requirements for the Dhingri cultivation is around 20 to 30 degree Celsius, which is available in the months from Dec to April in Reasi District, although it may vary depending upon the altitude. Its economics is very simple, for every kg of spawn cultivated, around 8 plastic bags of straw compost can be made which yield around 24 kg of Dhingri mushroom over a period of 3 months under suitable management practices. The market price of one kilogram of mushroom is about Rs. 150. So, from 1 Kg spawn an income of Rs. 3600/- can be made, with an input cost around Rs. 600/- (with own family labour), that too in a short span of three months. The cost benefit ratio is around 1:6. The income may be higher depending upon the scale of commercialization. This season is the first year for this three-year program duration, during which the farmers shall hand held in input support, training, demonstration, marketing, management practices, etc. The program is being implemented in the areas of Block Reasi, Block Pouni, Block Arnas and Block Katra. The production process has started and the farmers have started selling their produce in the local market with suitable marketing intervention being made by the implementing agency. The aim of the program is to create suitable skill development and interest among the farmers, especially women so that they learn the best techniques and take on commercial production of Dhingri cultivation to fulfill the demand in the town of Reasi, Katra, Shiv Khori and even supply to the Jammu market.
As we know that most of the farmers in the district are small and marginal farmers with fragmented land holdings with high dependence on rain due to which they not able to take best out of their land. Adoption of allied agricultural activities like Dhingri, poultry, dairy, sheep-goat rearing, etc., by such farmers leads to the income security round the year. The adoption of Dhingri as an allied agricultural activity by our small and marginal farmers will provide an additional source of income and livelihood opportunities to the youth of Reasi. And it will contribute towards the aim of doubling of farmer’s income. Further, besides selling Dhingri directly, it may also be processed to make pickle, sold in dried and can also be made in powder form which will fetch even higher prices. |
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