Gandaki. Dhruba Bahadur Thapa of Pokhara Metropolitan City-11 has said that investment in commercial mushroom farming would be increased at a time when the youth’s interest in foreign countries is increasing and the attraction towards agriculture is increasing across the country.

He has already invested more than Rs 15 million for mushroom cultivation. In the past, he started mushroom farming commercially after the Corona epidemic.

He had started the study and procedural work from 2074 BS before implementing the plan of commercial mushroom farming that came during the Corona period. He is now cultivating mushroom in a tunnel with modern technology.

He said that he had initially invested Rs 5 million in mushroom farming after completing the construction of a technical tunnel with mud in February 2077 BS. According to him, the tunnel, which has a capacity of 12 tonnes, initially produced up to 2,400 kg of gobre mushroom every three months in one season.

Stating that the 12-tonne tunnel has now been expanded to 20 tonnes, Thapa said the government is constructing an additional 20-ton tunnel. He informed that around Rs 7 million has been invested in the construction of another tunnel with the increase in the capacity of the 12-tonne tunnel.

According to Thapa, rs 2,791,888 has been received as grant through the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project for the construction of additional tunnels and capacity expansion carried out in the recent past. According to him, around 500 kg of gobre mushroom is being harvested every day.

“Although kanya mushroom can be grown in a normal tent, it has to be done in a tunnel connected with hi-tech technology for gobre mushroom. The mushrooms we are producing are consumed in Pokhara,” Thapa said. The target is to produce 6,000 kg of mushroom every three months when it is fully produced from two tunnels of 20-ton capacity.

“Mushrooms are sold at Rs 300 to Rs 350 per kg in the market,” he said, adding, “There is a demand for 600 kg of mushroom per day in pokhara market.” At present, 10 people have got direct employment in Thapa’s mushroom farming farm. He said that other human resources have been deployed as per the need for keeping, picking and managing mushroom compost.

According to Thapa, 35 percent protein is found in multi-nourished mushrooms and the number of people using it has increased in recent times due to the low amount of calories and fats. “Mushrooms contain ergo ionin, which removes irritation and protects the skin. It contains plenty of anti-oxidants,” he said.

Immune-resistant mushrooms contain vitamin D and contain low amounts of carbohydrates. Regular mushroom eating is considered to help control diseases including high blood pressure, diabetes, reduce the risk of cancer and also help in weight loss.

Project increasing attraction in mushroom farming

The Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, Project Implementation Unit, Kaski, has initiated various programs including grants and assistance to increase the attraction of commercial mushroom farming in and around Pokhara.

According to Project Implementation Unit Chief Madhav Lamsal, around Rs 4 million was invested in the last fiscal year for the development of mushroom cultivation in Pokhara and surrounding areas under the project. Stating that Pokhara has become self-reliant in young mushroom, he said initiatives are being taken to make pokhara self-reliant in gobre mushroom.

According to him, work is underway to make the region self-reliant in gobre mushroom within the next one or two years.