Oyster mushrooms, valued for their health benefits, are increasingly popular in Meghalaya due to their low labor, space, and investment requirements. However, the availability of quality spawn, essential for sustainable mushroom farming, remains a major challenge.
This is the story of Shri Raymond B. Marwein, a youth from Umsmu village, Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya, with an M. Pharm degree. Inspired during his visit to the ICAR Research Complex in Umiam, he saw the gap in quality spawn supply and decided to address it by learning spawn production technologies.
Shri Raymond completed a seven-day training on “Mushroom Spawn Production and Entrepreneurship Development” under the Farmers FIRST project, gaining both theoretical and hands-on knowledge in tissue culture, substrate development, and spawn production. The program emphasized low-cost methods, which he used to set up a mushroom spawn lab in his village, converting two small rooms into functional spaces. To minimize costs, he used basic equipment such as a pressure cooker for sterilization and a simple inoculation hood.
Starting with 500 ml of culture media, Shri Raymond faced initial challenges, but his persistence led to success, producing 23 mother spawn packets with a 91.3% success rate. His first batch of 230 commercial spawn packets followed.
Today, he produces 500 packets of commercial spawns weekly, supplying a steady demand in his local area at ₹100 per kg. Alongside spawn production, he also grows fresh mushrooms for tissue culture and his homestay business.
Shri Raymond invested ₹90,000 in his enterprise, covering infrastructure and labor costs. With a monthly income of ₹40,000 from spawn and mushroom sales, he aims to scale up with advanced equipment and transform Umsmu into a mushroom production hub, creating local employment.
His success has also led to an integrated farming system on his family’s land, with piggery, fish culture, vermicomposting, and vegetable farming. His ventures, alongside his homestay, have generated sustainable income and inspired others in his community to explore agriculture and allied sectors.
(Source: ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Umiam, Meghalaya)
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