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How this Haryana professor clocks Rs12 lakh monthly turnover from mushroom farming

Dr Sonia Dahiya, a professor of biotechnology, began button mushroom farming to utilize her time better during COVID-19. Today, her farm in Sonipat produces 10,000 kg of button mushrooms monthly and makes compost bought by other mushroom growers

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Rashmi Pratap
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Dr Sonia Dahiya at her mushroom farm in Sonipat, Haryana

Dr Sonia Dahiya at her mushroom farm in Sonipat, Haryana

When Dr Sonia Dahiya, an assistant professor at Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology at Sonipat, was giving online classes to her students during COVID-19, she had much free time. However, due to the lockdown, she could not step out. To better utilize her time, she thought of starting some venture to keep herself occupied.

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“I feel particularly positive and motivated in our village Barwasni in Sonipat. The greenery and vast open spaces rejuvenate me. I decided to start something there,” Sonia tells 30Stades.

With a PhD in biotechnology and a master's in biochemistry, she was familiar with mushrooms and wanted to explore technical farming (using technology to improve farming). 

“I began research on mushroom cultivation. I made notes by watching videos and reading material online,” she says.

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dr dahiya mushroom farm
Sonia grows button mushrooms in four rooms, each with a maximum capacity of 300 bags. 

Mushrooms can be grown seasonally or throughout the year in cold chambers using air conditioners. “I zeroed in on cold chambers as they allow yield throughout the year due to controlled temperature and humidity. Moreover, there is almost no chance of contamination,” says Sonia. 

Also Read: With Rs2000 investment, this Andhra man earns Rs 25,000 daily from milky mushrooms

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Starting the button mushroom unit

Sonia’s husband, Dr Vijay Dahiya, an associate professor at Maharaja Surajmal Institute, encouraged her to go ahead. He supported her in all aspects and also helped her with the initial investment of around Rs40 lakh. “We invested around Rs20 lakh from our savings and took a loan for the remaining amount,” she says.

In September 2020, they began constructing the structure using PUF panels, which are antioxidant and antimicrobial. It took about two months for the work to complete including installation, water and electricity connections, making the boundary of the one-acre plot, etc. 

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With Dr Vijay Dahiya
Sonia with her husband Dr Vijay Dahiya, an associate professor who has continuosly supported her

Sonia procured spawns from HAIC Mushroom and Agricultural Development Centre in Sonipat and put up 5,600 mushroom bags in two rooms in January 2021. 

“I started with two rooms, which could accommodate 5,500 to 6,000 bags,” she says.

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The rate of spawn is currently around Rs80 to Rs85 per kg. Farmers can put 100 bags using 1kg of spawn. Each bag yields an average of 2kg of mushrooms in about two months. “My husband met mushroom wholesale buyers in Delhi and found out about the sale before the first crop was ready,” she says, adding that he looks after marketing and finance at Dr Dahiya Mushroom Farm.

Also Read: From Rs 1000 investment to Rs2 lakh monthly turnover, how this Bihar housewife scripted a mushroom farming success story

Since the production was good, Sonia expanded to four rooms over time and now harvests around 10 tonnes or 10,000kg every month. 

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“At a time, two rooms yield the product while the mushrooms are in the growth stage in the other two rooms. This cycle continues, allowing daily harvest, and division of labour and work,” the agripreneur says. 

Compost, the base for the growth of mushrooms, is prepared at the unit using agricultural waste. “I procure parli (paddy straw) and wheat straw from farmers around the unit. This prevents burning of stubble and provides them with additional income,” she says. Apart from using compost for her unit, Sonia also sells it to other smaller growers who put up mushroom bags seasonally in small huts or their homes. 

Production and profits

Mushroom spawns or seeds are mixed with compost, which is filled in polythene bags with two or three holes for aeration. “Each bag has at least 10 kg compost mix and they are stacked on racks in the cold chamber,” the woman entrepreneur says.

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

In 12 days, mushroom fungus mycelium spreads in the bags. The chambers' temperature is maintained at 23 to 24 degrees Celsius till then. After this, casing is done. The casing is a top dressing applied to the spawn-run compost to regulate evaporation. The thickness of the casing is around 1.5 to 2 inches on which the mushrooms later grow.

bags of mushroom
Mushroom production (left) and packaging (right) at Dr Dahiya Mushroom Farm

At this stage, the temperature is brought down to 5 to 10 degrees. The mycelium then disappears and mushroom initials grow, which is called pinning. 

After pinning, the size of the mushroom doubles every 24 hours. Mushrooms are ready in 21 days after casing. They are then harvested and packed for sale.

Since Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi is a big market for mushrooms, sales have not been a problem. “We send to the wholesale buyers. My farm is along the main road and people also buy around 40kg to 50 kg of mushroom directly from the farm daily,” she says. 

While the production fluctuates with every batch and season, the monthly average is around 10 tonnes or 10,000 kg. 

“Prices go up to Rs180 per kg in summer, and they are down to even Rs80 in winter. The average annual price is Rs120 per kg,” she says. So the monthly turnover is around Rs12 lakh a month (Rs120 X 10,000 kg).  

The monthly expenses include Rs 1.5 lakh for electricity, another Rs 1.5 lakh for labour besides the cost of preparing compost and bags etc. The monthly profit after paying EMIs for loans and other expenses is around Rs2.5 lakh to Rs3 lakh.

Portobello mushroom
Portobello mushrooms grown on order basis at Dr Dahiya Mushroom Farm

Sonia also grows other mushrooms like Oyster, King Oyster, Portobello and Milky White on an order basis. “Customers have to place an order in advance,” she says.

She has trained ten local women in farm operations. “These women were seasonal farm labourers earlier. Now they are financially empowered and earn a stable income throughout the year. They can manage all farm operations, which gives them a sense of belonging,” she adds.

College students also visit her farm to learn more about mushroom farming. “From March 2025, I will start providing mushroom farming training as well,” she adds.

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

Also Read: Five mushroom farmers who started with Rs1000 investment and now clock lakhs per month 

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