Zero-waste industry cashes in on crop residue

VP Sharma

THE manifold increase in grain production has helped India fight poverty and hunger over the decades. However, 4.5 crore children below the age of five years are still malnourished, which underlines the urgency for meeting the nation’s nutritional needs. Specifically, protein and vitamin deficiency are among the major concerns. Mushrooms fit the bill to overcome this deficiency. Mushrooms have low calorific value, are rich in protein and have all essential amino acids required by humans. They have 4-12 times more protein than fruits and two times more than vegetables. Mushrooms are rich in minerals, including selenium (anti-cancer) and copper (heart-protective). Low in sodium and high in potassium content, they are suitable food for persons suffering from blood pressure fluctuations. Mushrooms have vitamin B, C, D and E; they are the only vegetarian source of vitamin D and B12. They are also known for their medicinal properties; their effects can be antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, detoxicative, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, neuroregenerative etc.

Presently, mushrooms are being cultivated in more than 100 countries. China, the US, Netherlands, France, UK, Poland, Spain, Germany and Japan are the leading countries in production. In India, mushroom cultivation started in the 1960s at Solan in Himachal Pradesh. Considering the tremendous potential of the crop, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) established the Directorate of Mushroom Research (formerly known as the National Research Centre for Mushroom Research and Training) in this city in 1983. In 1997, Solan was declared the ‘mushroom city of India’. Across the country, commercial production reached 1.55 lakh tonnes in 2017-18.

There are about 3,000 prime edible mushroom species and around 100 have been cultivated so far. In India, five varieties — Agaricus bisporus (white button), Pleurotus (oyster), Volvariella (paddy straw), Calocybe (milky) and Lentinula (shiitake) — are grown commercially. The Indian mushroom industry focuses on the white button variety, which accounts for around 74 per cent of the total production. The remaining 26 per cent is accounted for by the oyster, paddy straw, milky and shiitake varieties.

In northern India, button, oyster and milky varieties are cultivated the most. Button mushroom production in northern India comes both from environmentally controlled units and seasonal cultivation, while the oyster mushroom is grown round the year in normal rooms, huts and polyhouses. Haryana is the leading state in button mushroom production, followed by Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Small quantities of mushrooms are also produced in Jammu and Kashmir. Seasonal cultivation of button mushroom in north India takes place from September to March. Farmers produce compost using wheat and paddy straw. 

Oyster mushroom is mainly grown in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and the north-eastern states. The ICAR-Directorate of Mushroom Research has identified various species of oyster mushroom for different regions. The directorate also developed the first non-browning variety (NBS-5) of the white button mushroom with high yield and zero-energy poly tunnel for low-cost compost production.

It is a zero-waste industry as the spent mushroom compost (SMS) left after harvesting is suitable as organic manure for horticultural and cereal crops. The addition of SMS improves soil health and controls several diseases. Mushroom cultivation has the potential to resolve the issue of agro waste management. It is estimated that India generates 700 million metric tonnes of agricultural waste. Mushroom farming is ideal for utilising the straw and addressing paddy straw burning in the northern region. 

Being an indoor activity, production is suited for farm women. Mushroom production and spawn (seed) production provide ample opportunities for small farmers, landless labourers, women and jobless youth to gain self-employment. The crop can be grown through vertical farming, which reduces the land pressure for production. High cropping intensity enables growers to produce maximum protein per unit of time and area. Due to high productivity, it also ensures high returns in the shortest time.

With a population of more than 120 crore, India is a huge market for mushrooms. However, due to lack of awareness, consumption is quite low in India (about 80 gm per capita per annum compared to the global average of 5-6 kg per capita per year). There is a need to generate awareness among the people about the mushroom’s multifarious benefits so as to increase its demand in the country.

—  The author is Director, ICAR Directorate of Mushroom Research, Solan

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