Binod Paudel, who has returned from a job in the United Arab Emirates, has found his calling in mushroom farming back home, and his business is doing well. Having spent five years at a foreign job, he returned home with the objective of doing something good back home, and started the farming at Kebalpur of Thakre Rural Municipality-10 in Dhading district with the investment of Rs 10 million.

He worked for a consultant company in UAE for a monthly salary of around Rs 100,000. “I started the business with family advice with the objective of doing agriculture back home. Started four years ago, the farming is doing well,” he said. Starting in partnership in Nagarjun Municipality-5 in Kathmandu in 2076 BS, his farming has spread in 30 ropanis of land in Dhading. Forty five sheds to grow mushrooms have been constructed, and a greenhouse in two ropanis of land.

“Ten ropanis of land where mushroom has been grown belongs to me. I have taken additional 20 ropanis of land in rent. I have invested Rs 10 million in the business.” Around 500 kg mushroom he produces has been brought to the Kalimati fruit and vegetable market on a daily basis. He has been selling 10,000 kg every month and 120,000 kg every year with an annual transaction of Rs 14.4 million. One kg mushroom is sold for average Rs 120 in the local market. For transporting the produce, he has bought a vehicle for Rs 2.5 million, and has employed three full time employees and six part timers.

“In the past, I toiled in a foreign country. Now, I feel proud myself that I have been able to provide jobs to my sisters and brothers back home,” he said. The business has yielded a good income. He is earning a monthly net income of Rs 120,000 from the business. ¬He has taken a subsidy of Rs 600,000 from the government to construct additional two greenhouses. “I would draw a monthly salary of Rs 75,000 from a foreign job. I was content with the salary as I was drawing incomes without investment. Now, I have invested Rs 10 million in the farming. I am in debt of Rs 5 million.

I am happy that I am being able to contribute to the state and family through agriculture.” Mushroom seeds are germinated in a sack of two kg straw during summer and three kg straw during winter. For mushroom production, from preparing sacks of straw to hanging the sacks in the greenhouse, a labourer gets Rs 32 per sack in remuneration. A labourer makes average of Rs 1,000 per day for doing so, he said.