Patna (Bihar): In an inspiring story of grit and determination, a Bihar has fought all odds to earn the sobriquet of 'Mushroom Man' earning monthly returns of Rs 50-60 lakh per month.
Shashi Bhushan Tiwari, hailing from Bihar's Muzaffarpur has proved his mettle as an established entrepreneur with his mushroom cultivation.
In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, Tiwari said that his knack for mushroom cultivation grew while his stay at the Azadpur Mandi in Delhi where he used to work in 2000. Tiwari said that when he tasted mushroom for the first time, he thought it was non-veg. It was only through his friend that Tiwari came to know that mushrooms were fungus and not non-veg food.
“People told me that it grows in Haryana near Delhi. I used to take out time and go to the places where it was grown. Whenever I got leave, I used to visit mushroom cultivators. I constantly wanted to know about it,” Tiwari said.
''Once I bought mushrooms and took them home but I did not know how to cook them. Then this thought came to my mind that why not grow it at home. I kept talking to the farmers of Haryana,” he added.
Tiwari said that after starting his venture with baby steps in 2019, he initially faced taunts from people for the venture, but he did not lose heart and followed his passion.
He said it took 19 years to bring mushrooms to Muzaffarpur.
“I had a lot of responsibilities. My children were small at that time. It took 19 years to fulfill all the responsibilities. In 2019, I had completely made up my mind and I came here,” he recalled.
Banks Avoided Financing: Tiwari said that after he started his venture, in 2020, a local bank provided him small finance merely for the reason that the banks were not trusting it.
“The bank officials asked how I could pay EMIs by growing mushrooms. I kept assuring but the bank was not giving the loan. I was constantly struggling,” he said.
Convinced the Bank of India: Tiwari said that he told the bank officials about his project and mushroom farming and assured them that the project was feasible.
“I told the bank manager that the population of Punjab is 4 crore, the population of Haryana is 2 crore and these two together, 6 crore people, sell their products to 18 crore people of Bihar,” Tiwari argued.
Installed Processing Unit: Tiwari said he started his farm house with six compartments which have gradually expanded to 20.
“Earlier there were many challenges. Sometimes there was a problem of transportation, sometimes there was a strike, sometimes there were festivals, which made mushroom cultivation and their marketing difficult. Then I talked to the experts, who told me that this is a very perishable item. Then I started working on it and then I set up a processing unit. Earlier there was a loss, now by packing it in a box, I have enhanced their life to 2 years. It is even sold online,” he said.
Days of Struggle in Delhi: Tiwari said during his days of work in Delhi, he spent many nights without eating anything.
“I started my first job for just Rs 1200 a month. I have slept without eating many nights in Delhi. I am a graduate but, in Delhi I have cleaned the windows of cars for my survival. I used to sleep on a box of apples during winter nights,” he said.
Wife's Suppport Crucial: Tiwari credited his wife for her support in his endeavour after their marriage in 1996.
“I will definitely say that my wife always stood by me. My wife has a big hand in making my dreams come true. Her courage has taken my life to new heights. Today my daughter Shalu Raj is a doctor. My son Sahil Tiwari is taking my work forward. Today I have a luxury car, a house. Now we live in a farm house,'' Tiwari said.
Tiwari said that he sells 1600 to 2200 kg of mushroom produce daily on an average accounting for a per month income of about 50 to 60 lakh rupees.
