What comes first in mind when you hear the world Mushrooms? Mushrooms are simplest form of fungi. Microbiology defines Mushrooms as "A fungus is a eukaryotic organism." Yeasts, moulds and mushrooms are examples of fungi. The study of fungi is called Mycology.
Specially you can heard the world mycology at thousands of agricultural colleges in India. But it doesnt make any sense when you ask the students about it. Basically the first Indian organization working towards is DMR Solan established in 1990s. It is also started projects under regional agri universities or research centers. But if you think there is no influence you can see at local regions of most of the states or in regions. So few people can describe mushrooms as food.
When we started at our small unit under name "Mushroom Learning Center, Kolhapur" (Established under Biobritte Agro Solutions Private Limited, Kolhapur) which is focussed to provide mushroom seeds, mushroom training, mushroom consultancy for western maharashtra region population.
Our Mushroom Learning Center Kolhapur conducts 2-3 Oyster Mushroom trainings each month to promote and create some mushroom entreprenurs. We are also planning to launch mushroom training on other type of mushrooms. We have conducted 40+ mushroom cultivation batches where we met around 350-400 people who belong from western maharashtra region in the areas of Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Miraj, Kokan, Some part of Karnataka, Goa and nearby cities. However, I feel sometimes we failed to create mushroom entreprenurs in the region. We promote mushroom 24 X 7 through by our marketing teams. Our social media handles are also succesful at Digital campaigns. Where we fail at? When I stressed my mind why it happend I found some reasons.
Firstly, the thing we observed was Poor interest of people as most of don't want to eat Fungi. Simply, people become curious when I say "I do mushrooming". But when I explain them this is what I produce in Indoor farming. The curiosity goes down. They don't want to eat which is fungi simply. When I explain them medicinal benefits they only can eat if they are health conscious people or educated.
Secondly, the poor marketing strategy. I personally trained a lot people at our mushroom farm. They ask us first question would you make contract for buying it? When they ask us this question. I take long breath and tell them. Mushroom nothing but a vegetable or food product which can be sold in variety of shops, supermarket, food stores, departmental stores, farmer's market. Surely, we want to export it out of countries. But as per our business plan we are going to do it after some time. My mind thinks silently "How it is really possible for us? We are not really able to take thosuands of tons of mushroom and sell it really. Our business plan is not to become vegetable seller. Our start-up is based on theme of research and training. Why I would leave lab and go to market to sell mushrooms." Every trainee come to us he first ask us above question. Why they don't want to sell on thereselves.
Thirdly, mistakes at growing. Our mushroom trainee comes from variety of educational background. It starts from arts, engineering. I never seen agri graduates coming to us. I don't know why they think it is not good business opportunity. At least I expect biotechnology students but they are happy at being jobless at home rather than growing mushrooms. This is reality of region and might be of whole maharashtra agri-bio graduates as well. When our trainees starts to take first trial with our mushroom kits. They just grow it like they are growing plants. For mushroom growing consistency is very important as different factors affect growth and development of mushrooms. So they have to be patient. Every business take some time and some time to get business insights. They are not patient at that.
"Not really sure about other people, but we are doing good at marketing. When we started I remember we had to throw 120 kg of mushroom seeds because we had no customer to buy it. Currently, we have connected over 500+ mushroom farmers who are based in karnataka, banagalore and some costal parts of maharashtra."
Everyone asks us where do you sell mushrooms. We run 2 mushrooom farms under us. We produce 6+ type of oyster mushrooms, milky mushrooms and Reishi Mushrooms. We mostly sell it at our distributor network we created. We have launched two mushroom by products so far which is sold under our Brand. We still pending branding of 38+ mushroom products we took trials.
Where can mushroom can be sold?
It can be stored in food stores, shops, milk and milk product shops, vegetable vendor, hotels, cafes, fast food businesses.
It can be sold more than these places. Probably new mushroom farmers fail at this. Why they fail? Poor Management and marketing. You can visit google for more ideas.
It is very novel and innovative Business opportunity for the people at that location of western maharashtra. Each mushroom bag can be made at cost of 25-30 rs and each bag can bring about 1.5 fresh mushrooms which can be sold at minimum 150-200 Rs per kg. If you dehydrate it, it will become 150 grams which can be sold at 110 Rs pack. 1gram of dry mushroom can be sold at equals to 1 Rs normally.
If anyone wants to learn more about mushroom or want to start the business you can ask us at biobritte.agro@gmail.com
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