Marvelous mushrooms! Early success in our mushroom cultivation trials in Tamil Nadu

70% of farmers have managed to reach profitability and all farmers are now moving onto second harvests empowered by new knowledge and ongoing technical support.

Jeevika Trust, in partnership with Social Change and Development (SCAD), launched a Proof of Concept (PoC) project in July 2025 to explore the viability of small-scale mushroom cultivation as a sustainable livelihood model for low-income farmers in Tamil Nadu. Ten farmers were selected and equipped with growing structures, inputs, and intensive training to enable self-managed mushroom production.

The first round of analysis indicates encouraging outcomes. Despite operating with low-cost infrastructure and limited prior experience, 70% of the participants achieved profitability, with an average production of 13.4 kg per farmer across three flushes. Around 12.4 kg per farmer met Grade A standards, suggesting a manageable level of wastage. The best performer achieved a harvest of 21 kg and recorded the highest profit margin (63%), driven by a premium market price.

However, three farmers suffered significant losses, largely due to infection and environmental challenges,

highlighting the need for better hygiene, water quality monitoring, and continued technical support. One farmer remained at breakeven, signaling potential for improvement with targeted mentoring.

Financial analysis shows that substrate and spawn represent the largest share of input costs (around 42% each), though cost reporting may require refinement to ensure completeness.

Looking ahead, the project’s next phase will focus on diagnosing performance gaps, enhancing training, and replicating best practices identified from successful participants. Jeevika Trust aims to use these insights to refine its model and assess scalability, with the goal of establishing mushroom cultivation as a reliable, low-cost income source for rural communities across Tamil Nadu and beyond.