Originating from the isolated village of Jinkata Part-I in Dhubri, which is located on the border between Assam and West Bengal, Tapasi Mandal has gained notoriety. She has been growing mushrooms for the last two years, making a reliable living and becoming financially independent. With a Rs. 2 lakh loan under the Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) project, Tapasi Mandal started growing mushrooms in 2024 and is now able to produce 20–25 kg of mushrooms on a daily basis.
Mandal praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to support entrepreneurship and conveyed her appreciation for the government’s efforts to empower women. She has been putting a lot of effort into growing her business, branching out into a variety of food items created from the mushrooms that she grows on her farm, such as pickles, biscuits, bhujia, nimki, and sweets. Assam’s mushroom industry has grown significantly, providing both economic prospects and nutritional advantages.
Mushroom Demonstration Units (MDUs) have been established in areas such as Chandrapur and Dimoria as part of initiatives to support scientific mushroom growing by the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM). Numerous people have received training from these units, which has improved local farmers’ output and revenue. A Mushroom Spawn Production Laboratory was established in Khanapara by the Directorate of Horticulture and Food Processing in Assam to assist growers. This facility takes care of the urgent requirement for high-quality spawn, which is an essential component of a productive mushroom farm.
