Dipankar Chakravarti
Assistant Professor
Department of Plant Pathology
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology
Udaipur-313001
Rajasthan
S K Rajoriya
Department of Plant Pathology
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology
Udaipur-313001
Rajasthan
Abstract
Mushroom is the most popular delicious, nutritious and medicinal food in the world. India is one of the most suitable countries in the world for mushroom cultivation due to its favorable climate, cheap raw materials and labor cost and high market price. Mushroom cultivation is an economic concept that can decrease poverty and malnutrition. It can also create employment opportunities for landless peoples, educated and uneducated youth, person with disabilities and adolescent men and women respectively. The main purpose of the study is to decrease poverty, malnutrition and unemployment through mushroom cultivation. The study is analytical and theoretical in nature and based on the primary and secondary data. The cultivation of oyster mushrooms was promoted using demonstrations and presentations in different tribe villages of Udaipur district (Peepalwas, Pai, Alsigarh, Undri, Baghpur, Maksadev, Jhadol, Naya khera, Selana, kuwariya Khera etc.). The oyster mushroom spawn and cultivation material was provided to the mushroom farmers and personal interview has been conducted to depict the cost and profitability of mushroom cultivation. The study finds that oyster mushroom cultivation can open a new opportunity for landless and unemployed people as it does not require any cultivable land and can be grown in a room by racking vertically. One can earn nearly Rs. 2000-3000 a month by investing only Rs. 10-15 thousands. So, it is possible to make a good profit by investing a small amount of capital and labor in oyster mushroom cultivation.
Key words: Malnutrition, Oyster Mushroom, Spawn, Udaipur District.
