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Friday, March 29, 2024

Mushroom Farming Tips To Earn You a Decent Income

While mushroom farming might appear demanding and strenuous at first glance, there’s an intriguing allure to it. Official data from the National Farmers Information Service (NAFIS) reveals that Kenya produces 500 tonnes of mushrooms annually, falling short of the demand of 1200 tonnes. Consequently, local farmers can’t meet this demand, creating a profitable business opening for those willing to invest.

Mushroom cultivation is viable across Kenya, requiring shelter, consistent water supply, and temperatures between 15 to 30 degrees Celsius.

Step 1: Commencing the Journey Naturally, securing a piece of land is the initial step for cultivating mushrooms. A 1/8 acre land plot suffices for establishing a sizable farm that can yield up to 2 tonnes of mushrooms every two months (using the shelf-frame method).

Step 2: Constructing a Simple Structure Once you’ve secured a suitable plot, building a basic mud-house and wooden shelves to maximize vertical space becomes essential. Utilize local resources creatively to minimize construction expenses. (Ensure proper ventilation for adequate airflow.)

Step 3: Sourcing the Substrate The crucial starting supply is the substrate, the material that mushrooms grow on. Forest soil, wheat straw, bean straw, millet straw, or rice straw can serve as substrates. Sterilization is crucial to prevent bacterial contamination. Around 20 bales of wheat straw (Ksh.200 each) are necessary.

Step 4: Investing in Bags Both small bags for seedlings and larger ones for planting are needed. Small bags, akin to those used by retailers for 2KG sugar, cost approximately Ksh.100 for 200 units. Larger bags can range up to Ksh.15 each, requiring around 1000 for a 1/8 acre farm.

Step 5: Emphasizing Hygiene Maintaining excellent hygiene is vital for a successful mushroom farm. Procure items like hand gloves, methylated spirit, and cotton wool. A box of gloves, methylated spirit, and cotton wool each costs less than Ksh.1,000. Additional supplies might include drinking straws (Ksh.1,000) and a knapsack sprayer (around Ksh.5,000).

Step 6: Acquiring Seedlings Acquiring mushroom seedlings (spawns) is the final step. Button spawns are popular and easily marketable. You can purchase these from KARI or JKUAT, with a kilogram of button spawns costing Ksh.1,000. Five kilograms are adequate for initiation. Alternative mushroom varieties to consider are shiitake and oyster.

Investment Details Setting up a 1/8 acre farm from scratch necessitates Ksh.230,000. However, subsequent farming seasons will incur around Ksh.150,000 once the infrastructure and basic supplies are in place.

Expected Returns Button mushrooms mature in under 14 weeks (2 months), yielding up to 2 tonnes from a 1/8 acre farm with 1000 bag platforms. Each kilogram fetches an average of Ksh.600, potentially resulting in sales revenue of up to Ksh.1.2 million. Achieving millionaire status within two months is attainable.

In Conclusion Despite the labor-intensive nature of mushroom farming, its profitability is undeniable. By investing effort in learning best practices and pairing them with effective business strategies, you can establish a prominent brand in the market. With these opportunities, what’s preventing you from becoming a successful entrepreneur?

Content created and supplied by: Emma (via Opera
News )

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