North East India, with its warm, humid climate, rich forests and abundant paddy straw, is one of the most promising regions in the country for mushroom growing. Mushroom in North East India has a long tradition. Many communities collect and eat wild edible mushrooms, and today oyster, milky and shiitake mushroom cultivation is creating income for farmers, women’s self-help groups and young entrepreneurs.
Why North East India suits mushroom farming
- Climate: high humidity and moderate to warm temperatures suit tropical mushrooms in the plains and valleys, and shiitake in the cooler hills.
- Raw material: paddy straw, maize stalks, sawdust and other farm and forest waste are widely available.
- Food culture: mushrooms are already part of local diets, so demand is ready-made.
- Biodiversity: the region’s forests are home to many wild mushroom species, including edible and medicinal fungi. See 100 edible mushrooms in India.
Mushrooms grown in the North East
Oyster mushroom is the most widely grown, because it is easy, fast and tolerant of local conditions. Milky mushroom does well in the hot months, paddy straw mushroom suits the warm plains, and shiitake is grown on logs and sawdust blocks in hill areas. High-value medicinal mushrooms such as lion’s mane and ganoderma are attracting growing interest.
State by state
- Assam: Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, runs mushroom research and training under the AICRP on Mushroom. Read more on our Mushroom in Assam page.
- Tripura: oyster mushroom has become a popular small business for rural households. See Mushroom in Tripura.
- Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim: wild mushrooms are widely collected and sold in local markets, and cultivated oyster and shiitake mushrooms are spreading through training programmes. The ICAR Research Complex for the NEH Region at Umiam, Meghalaya, also supports mushroom work in the hill states.
Our work in North East India
The Mushroom BioTech Jalpaiguri family has worked since 1985 to establish mushrooms as an alternative source of nutrition and income in North East India. We supply mushroom seeds (spawn), conduct training programmes and work with NGOs on the wild mushroom biodiversity of the region. Jalpaiguri, in North Bengal, is the gateway to the North East, so growers in the region can get spawn and advice quickly.
Get spawn and training from Mushroom BioTech Jalpaiguri
Mushroom BioTech Jalpaiguri, at Dangapara, Mohitnagar, Jalpaiguri, has worked on mushroom spawn and cultivation since 1995. We supply quality mushroom seeds (spawn), train new growers and advise on setting up mushroom units. Call +91 98320 63963 or send us a message.
