Kamal Subedi brought home around Rs20 million last year selling mushrooms. This year, he aims to double his income.

Mushroom grower Subedi has a farm in Padampur, Kalila municipality, producing two varieties—oyster and button.

Last year, Subedi cultivated button mushrooms for only three months. This year, he prepared an air conditioner (AC) for mushroom cultivation, which he can use to produce mushrooms around the year.

The AC chamber involves cooling, humidity, heating, CO2 control, fresh and return air mixing, exhaust and microcirculation. This equipment efficiently controls the climate for mushrooms in various air conditioning systems.

Subedi expects that, as button mushrooms are comparatively more expensive, production round the year would double his income.

Subedi, originally from Nawalparasi, went to Belgium in 2002. He trained for two years on mushroom farming during his five-year stay in the European country.

He also migrated to other countries for a job and returned to Nepal four years ago.

Initially, he worked in another person's mushroom farm.

“After returning from the foreign country, I worked on mushroom farms in Bhairahawa and Jugedi,” said Subedi.

In December 2022, he leased a land plot in Padampur and started growing mushrooms.

Starting with an initial investment of Rs500,000, he gradually expanded the investment. Observing good income from mushrooms throughout the year, Subedi installed an AC chamber.

Production grew significantly after the installation of the AC chamber.

“Though it is called an AC chamber, it is an air handling unit. This technology creates appropriate humidity and temperature for mushroom production,” Subedi said.

An AC chamber costs around Rs1.1 million.

Subedi has 12 such chambers. The provincial government provided him with a subsidy for one unit, and he managed to purchase 11 AC chambers on his own.

“I have invested Rs40 million in total. Of that, Rs20.5 million is from loans,” Subedi said.

Though the price of oyster mushrooms fluctuates, the price of button mushrooms is stable around the year, Subedi said. “Sometimes, from Rs200 a kg, the price of mushrooms drops suddenly, and I have to sell it for as low as Rs100 per kg.”

He said that button mushrooms fetched up to Rs350 a kg. “With that income and demand for button mushrooms in mind, I prepared for commercial farming and installed the AC chambers.”

AC chamber technology for mushroom farming is new in Nepal. Mushrooms are being produced with its use in Bhairahawa, Sarlahi, Gaidakot, Jugedi, and Kathmandu.

“I learned the skill in a foreign country and started producing something in my own country. I have a plan to take mushroom cultivation forward in a more manageable way with new technology,” Subedi said.

Kalika Municipality produces mushrooms worth more than Rs40 million annually, said Mayor Binod Regmi. “There are 80 households involved in mushroom farming.”

The farmers have started using new technology for the crop, which has made some of them entrepreneurs and generated jobs.

Most of the mushroom is grown in ward 2 of Kalika Municipality.

“Since last year, I’ve started producing mushroom seed as well. The sales of seeds are also going well,” said Subedi. He has hired 26 workers. However, it is difficult to retain them.

Subedi has also imported the equipment from New Delhi, India, to sprinkle water in the chamber.

Seventy percent of the mushroom he produces is consumed in Chitwan while the rest is supplied to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Surkhet.

Farmers who have installed AC chambers require electricity 24 hours. Any fluctuation in power supply affects production.