Homemaker grows cordyceps mushroom in 200 sq ft room; earns Rs30 lakh annually

Like most homemakers, Suman Sakhija had free time after her children grew up and got busy with higher studies. To use her time productively, she began looking for entrepreneurial opportunities that allowed her to work from her home in Dwarka, Delhi. 

Suman Sakhija can be contacted at +91 7404153908

In 2018, Suman attended mushroom cultivation training at HAIC Mushroom and Agricultural Development Centre, Murthal, Haryana. While learning about button mushroom farming, she also heard about Cordyceps militaris – a fungus with medicinal properties found in the Himalayas that can be grown in labs.

Known as ‘keeda jadi’ in Hindi, Cordyceps is now difficult to find in the wild amid growing concerns about over-harvesting it. 

Most medicinal supplements use lab-grown cordyceps, which sell anywhere between Rs90,000 to Rs3 lakh per kg depending on the demand-supply situation.

Cordyceps cultivation – ideal for small spaces

“As a homemaker, I wanted to start something which would give me enough time for my family. Cordyceps seemed perfect,” she says. 

“Cultivating them indoors does not require much labour or time. It has a long shelf life and there is no pressure to sell them fresh. I began researching on cordyceps despite training in button mushroom farming,” Suman tells 30Stades.

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Cordyceps are said to be rich in antioxidants and effective in treating a variety of conditions, including autoimmune diseases, respiratory problems, diabetes, lowering cholesterol, improving kidney health, and boosting immunity.  

“My research showed that lab-grown cordyceps are more affordable than natural ones and have a ready market,” she says.

Suman built a lab in one of the rooms in her house. “It cost me about Rs4 lakh to set up the facility over 200 sq ft in 2018,” she says.

“I procured the culture from Thailand. This culture is the base or seed for growing Cordyceps. It is solid and comes in a 3-inch Petri dish. I paid Rs 15,000 for it,” says Suman, who has no educational background in Science. She studied Arts.

A small portion, about 1 cm, of this culture, is added to a liquid medium of Potato dextrose agar (PDA). The jars with liquid medium are then put on a rotary shaker for five to six days to mix and multiply the culture. Then the liquid culture is ready.

“This liquid culture is mixed into the substrate (a base of brown rice and other ingredients) in a glass jar. It is then put for some days in the dark room followed by light,” Suman explains. 

 “We have to take care of contamination and hygiene is of utmost importance. Even the electricity connection is operated from outside the lab. It is best to wear a mask to avoid contamination,” she says.

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The lab also has a dehumidifier to maintain humidity levels. She suggests having two air conditioners as a backup though only one is used at any given time. The lab temperature is maintained between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. 

“The cordyceps grow in about 40 to 45 days and take 2.5 months starting from the culture stage. We take four crops in one year,” the woman entrepreneur says.

The lab-grown cordyceps look different from the natural ones that grow on dead caterpillars. However, the results are not very different because they have similar bioactive compounds.

Marketing and money 

After harvest, they are dried in a food dehydrator or dryer. Once dried, Suman packages the cordyceps and sells them at Rs93,000 per kg under her OrangeHerb brand. The sales are through Amazon, OrangeHerb website and social media. She also uses influencer marketing for her product as awareness about cordyceps is still at a nascent stage in India.

Her annual income from Cordyceps is Rs30 lakh from just a 200 sq ft facility. “The costs are around 5 lakh and I make a profit of Rs25 lakh annually,” she says.

Suman also trains people in cordyceps cultivation for a fee of Rs15,000 per person. “I train about 20 to 30 people monthly and help them set up a lab. The minimum space requirement is 100 sq ft, which will entail an investment of around Rs 3 lakh,” Suman explains.

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She also grows saffron over 100 sq ft in an adjacent room. “I started saffron cultivation two years back and harvested 600 gm last year. I sell it for Rs5 lakh per kg (Rs3 lakh for 600 gm),” she says.

Suman encourages people to grow both saffron and cordyceps to open two sources of income. 

“They can be grown in the same lab as the saffron cycle is from August to November. In the remaining months, cordyceps can be cultivated,” she explains.

For now, Suman is focusing on training more people who can become cordyceps entrepreneurs and earn good income from low investments and the comforts of their homes.

(Rashmi Pratap is a Mumbai-based journalist specialising in business, financial, and socio-economic reporting)

Also Read: How this MBA mushroom entrepreneur clocks Rs90 lakh annual turnover

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