Mushroom: Cultivation, Commercial exploitation and Logistics

Issues
Mushrooms have high nutritional value and are great sources of fiber and protein. They can serve
as important ingredient in solving Indian population nutritional problem. However, it is incredibly
perishable agricultural commodity and requires costly logistics facilities (especially cold storage
etc.). Despite the mushroom enterprise gaining reputation in India, still it is faced with challenges
of farm to market logistics and much product goes waste. This research investigates cultivational
challenges, storage, and other logistics issues in mushroom market. We look into go-segment
records received in 2018 from mushroom manufacturers from various parts of India to observe the
results of transaction charges on producers’ choice of crop and distribution strategy vise the type
of mushrooms furnished. It is observed (based on above secondary data) that mushroom cultivation
is affected by family labor endowment, manufacturing capability, access to cooling facilities,
market facts, and producers’ bargaining function. Also, there are difficulties found in gaining
access to reliable shipping and manufacturers’ capabilities. The study concludes by highlighting
important role of government interventions by way of subsidies, facilitating adequate storage
facilities, advertising and transaction expenses and similarly improve the general agricultural
advertising and marketing environment in India.
This study also comprises the difficulties faced by the local farmers in Dehradun with the
cultivation of the mushrooms and the complexity involved in the pricing, the transportation
challenges faced by them and the issues that are being raised in its supply chain (from procurement
to distribution to the end consumer). The study also suggests various supply chain practices to be
followed by the farmer to make good revenue out of the mushroom cultivation.