Children turn into mushroom farmers; earn Rs 50,000 per month

KOLLAM: With the support of their parents, two children who learned mushroom farming from YouTube videos are now earning Rs 50,000 a month. The marketing is handled by their father.

Vaishnav (15) and his younger sister Daksha (8) are the children of Suji Raj and MG University assistant Shari, from Puthankulam, Paravoor. Vaishnav is a Class 10 student at KE School, Mannanam, Kottayam, while Daksha studies in Class 3 at Aishwarya Public School, Kalayikkode. Though she is too young to do the work alone, Daksha actively helps with every task.

The siblings started cultivating oyster mushrooms six months ago with just two beds inside a room at their home. Now, they have expanded to 500 beds in the attic. The mushrooms are sold under the brand name “Myco Delights” in supermarkets and vegetable shops, and they are registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Vaishnav and Shari return home on Fridays and go back on Mondays, using those days for most of the cultivation work. They also receive guidance from the Bhoothakkulam agricultural office.

How the cultivation is done:

• Mushrooms are grown in PP plastic covers.
• Mushroom pellets are soaked in hot water.
• Once cooled, the seeds are mixed into the softened sawdust.
• Kept away from sunlight for 15 days.
• Then moved to a production room covered with green netting.
• Holes are made in the outer cover.
• By the seventh day, mushrooms sprout and grow through the holes.

Costs and earnings:

• Selling price: Rs 500 per kg.
• One packet of seeds: Rs 50.
• One sack of pellets (25 kg): Rs 1,000.
• Approximate investment: Rs 20,000.
• One harvest gives 5–6 kg of mushrooms.
• Each bed yields three harvests.