The story
Solan's mild climate suited button-mushroom growing, and the national mushroom research centre was set up at Chambaghat in 1983. Training and spawn from the centre helped farmers and entrepreneurs start growing units across the district. In 1997 the state declared Solan the 'Mushroom City of India'. Growers now face higher compost costs since the local compost unit was dismantled for highway widening.
In numbers
The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh declared Solan the Mushroom City of India on 10 September 1997.
ICAR-Directorate of Mushroom Research — About usThe National Centre for Mushroom Research and Training came into existence at Solan in 1983 and was upgraded to the Directorate of Mushroom Research on 26 December 2008.
ICAR-Directorate of Mushroom Research — About us
Ways in for a newcomer
- Compost-making unit to serve local growers
- Spawn laboratory
- Mushroom processing — canned, dried, pickles
- Supplying fresh mushrooms to Chandigarh and Delhi markets
Problems the cluster faces
- High compost cost after the local unit closed
- Price crashes in peak season
- Disease and contamination
- Power and cooling costs
Businesses to start here
Mushroom Cultivation & Processing →Canned Mushroom Unit →Ganoderma (Reishi) Mushroom Farming →Cold Room (2 × 10 MT) for Fruit and Vegetables →