Bargarh: A Plus III student from Bargarh district in Odisha has set example for others by becoming a successful mushroom farmer.
A native of Baragada village under Bargaon panchayat of Bargarh district, Chandan Pradhan has now become a successful farmer while continuing his study all thanks to his passion to attain self reliance.
Taking a break from his routine study every day, Chandan engages in the mushroom farming in his own room that he has developed as a small farm. Learning the techniques from YouTube, Chandan grows Dhingri (oyster mushroom) in organic way.
Starting the farming with an investment of as low as Rs 5,000, the young farmer has now earned a profit of Rs 12,000 in just over three months.
On his new path to entrepreneurship, Chandan says, “I do not use any kind of chemical fertilisers in the mushroom farming but prefer lime, waste decomposer and organic fungicide. While waste decomposer helps rot wheat straw quickly, fungicide helps prevent green mould disease of the crop.”
“As mushroom is a protein rich item and has huge health benefits if cultivated in an organic way. It will go a long way in meeting the requirements of people,” he adds.
Lalit Pradhan, father of Chandan, feels proud for the success of his son. “Apart from continuing his studies, he started the mushroom cultivation with his knowledge and hard work. We are very happy for him. People in the locality also like the mushroom grown by him as it is cultivated in an organic way.”
Not only his father, neighbours and other locals of Chandan's village are all praise for the young farmer.
Shyamghan Pradhan, a resident said, “There is a huge demand for the mushroom in the market and traders from the locality often visit Chandan's house to purchase the crop which is a good achievement for a boy of his age,"
Asked about Chandan, Bargarh Deputy Director of Agriculture, Dinabandhu Gandhi, said, “He was imparted training by the horticulture department here. He sells the mushroom in Bargarh market and earns money. By earning while learning, he has set example for others.”
https://youtu.be/eKzGUtX5YP4