I am Ashok Vashist from Haryana. I am married and in my family there are 6 members. I have studied till 10th class. Initially I was a conventional farmer but when I paid a visit to Research Center for Mushroom, its chief scientist Dr. Ajay Singh Yadav motivated me cultivate mushroom. My family, especially my wife Sunita encouraged and helped me in mushroom farming.
I follow three steps in mushroom farming. First step is preparing compost, which I make from paddy straw, wheat straw, millet straw, etc. I cut these into small pieces of 3 to 4 cms and soak them in water. It takes 28 days to prepare compost at home. Next step is sowing of mushroom. After preparing compost, seeds are sown and mushroom seeds are specially prepared in lab. We make 10 different types of products from mushrooms like, Achaar, Muraba, Bhujia, Biscuits, Jalebi, Ladoo, Honey Muraba, etc. We also use Stevia powder to sweeten our products, thus diabetes patients can also eat our products. I started from small level but now I earn well and my products have been passed by FSSAI as well. I sell my products under the name of Maharishi Vashist Mushroom and many experts, officers, leaders and media houses visit my farm from time to time. I have won numerous awards and one of my buffalo’s won a competition by giving 23 kg of milk and won me a Rs 21000 cash prize.
I am the first farmer of India who recently developed the seed of mushroom, which can be used as spawn.
I have 4.5 acres of land
I make Mushroom based Achaar, Muraba, Bhujia, Biscuits, Jalebi, Ladoo, Honey Muraba.
Wheat, Rice and Mushrooms
I own 6 Murrah Buffalos.
Achievements/Awards Besides this, I have been actively participating in various exhibitions and events showcasing my products and have been honored many times at these events and exhibitions.
Mushrooms are highly nutritious and beneficial to humans. I have reaped high profits in mushroom cultivation by growing them in a conventional way. My message to other farmers is that they should also take up mushroom farming and process them to make products for selling in the market. Even landless farmers should go in for mushroom farming. Food processing is going to be a big thing in the future. I plan to increase mushroom cultivation so that I can make products in huge quantity and sell them.
