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Government initiatives to popularise oyster mushroom cultivation in two upazilas of Gopalganj has been bringing good income to farmers, as more of them have been showing interest in growing the nutritious vegetable.
In FY25, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) provided mushroom cultivation training to 120 farmers of Gopalganj Sadar and Tungipara upazilas at the horticulture centre in Kashiani Upazila.
Afterwards, a total of 161 trained farmers, including the 120; Bhaba Sindhu Talukder and 30 other growers trained by him -- received tin sheds, materials for the substrate and other agricultural support. Substrate is the bulk material -- such as coconut fibre, sawdust, straw and wood chips that the mushroom spawns, or mycelium, colonises for food and energy to grow its fruiting bodies.
The ten other farmers also received Tk 200,000 each as full financial support for their mushroom farming on an experimental basis, according to DAE sources. Bhaba, of Gopalganj Sadar's Thanapara area, said he was able to harvest his mushroom within one and a half months after he began experimental cultivation by investing about Tk 200,000 in February, last year.
Currently, he harvests about 80 kg of mushroom every month, which can be sold at Tk 300 per kg. DAE sources said oyster, king oyster and NMDEC -5 oyster mushrooms are cultivated in the district, each of which has the same price and it can be Tk 50 more or less depending on the market. Bhaba said that he is being assisted for the marketing of his mushroom. Previously, he took a 10-day-long training from Mashroom Development Institute, Savar, Dhaka. Currently, mushroom farmers in Gopalganj supply their produce to different local stores and restaurants.
Bhaba also said cultivators from his area had taken his advice on mushroom farming and he had trained 30 people of Sadar Upazila on mushroom cultivation.
Mafroza Akter, upazila agriculture officer (UAO), Gopalganj Sadar, said, they are officially supervising at least six to seven mushroom growers in Gopalganj Sadar and they are getting facilities from her office. She added that many other mushroom growers have also been growing the vegetable under the supervision of private institutes.
Jannatul Ferdaus, a 20-year-old mushroom farmer of Patgati, Tungipara, said, she have been cultivating mushroom from last year. In the beginning, she was having issues with finding market for her produce. She added that now the issue was resolved and the price is also better than it was before. Bidhan Roy, additional deputy director, plant protection, Khamarbari, Gopalganj, told the FE that mushroom is highly nutritious and has medicinal value. "It contains sugar, protein, vitamins and minerals. That's why it is called vegetable protein in our country." He also said that freshly picked mushrooms contains upto four per cent of protein, but when a few hours pass, it becomes "dry", and then the protein content can be as high as 40 per cent.
Md. Rakibul Islam, upazila agriculture officer (UAO), Tungipara, said, mushroom is a protein-rich vegetable and farmers can sell their produce at double the money they spend during cultivation. "It's a farmer- friendly vegetable."
The UAO said they took a programme to increase awareness on mushroom cultivation in FY24 and it is still ongoing.
Dr. Md. Mamunur Rahman, deputy director, DAE, Gopalganj, said that mushroom cultivation was previously limited in Bangladesh, but now the farming has increased due to its rising demand and people also understood its nutritional value and health benefits.
He further said that farmers have responded positively to a programme initiated to raise their awareness and boost their income through mushroom cultivation.
Hirok Kumar Sarker, deputy director of the horticulture centre at Kashiani in Gopalganj, said the 120 farmers, who received training from his centre, is currently involved in mushroom farming in their respective areas.
He also said the weather in this region is favourable for mushroom cultivation and it is profitable due to the low production cost and high market price.
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