MUSHROOM FARMING IN KENYA: HOW YOU CAN MAKE YOUR FIRST MILLION IN JUST 2 MONTHS

Not so many Kenyans have realized how lucrative mushroom farming is yet. It is a pretty impressive investment only a handful of the informed farmers in Kenya are getting into. The demand for the delicious and healthy fungi is soaring, which means that the current supply does not come close to being at par with the demand. This is actually the strongest factor causing the high prices of mushrooms in Kenya.

During my research, I checked out for the current price of mushrooms at Zucchini Supermarket which was selling a Kilo of button mushroom for almost Ksh.1,000.

The current prices are at an all-time high, simply because the mushroom market in Kenya is seriously undersupplied. So if you are looking for a side hustle that is probably going to pay more than your day job, mushroom farming is the way to go.

Most people ask why mushrooms are expensive, being a fungus. One of the reasons is that mushrooms, also known as the “fruit” of the fungi family, are rich in antioxidants, lean proteins and essential vitamins.

The other reason is that mushroom farming is quite technical. The challenging manner of its growth, being that they don’t grow in soil, inhibits people from taking it on as a viable investment. This could be easily solved by a farmer getting the technical knowhow from the experts at Richfarm Kenya, 0724698357.

*Investment and returns of mushroom farming in Kenya*

The initial investment is on a basic minimum. Let us take oyster mushroom farming as an example, for this is the easiest variety to produce in Kenya.

With 1 square foot of space, they could easily produce 10kgs in a year’s time. With the current wholesale price of ksh.400 per kilo, one is expected to make Ksh.400,000 in turnover from a 10’ by 10’ space.

A small space is needed for the mushroom growth. A garage will do just fine, and for those without one, a grass thatched mud house will do.

All this talk may give you a notion that mushroom farming is a walk in the park that you would start now and boom! Reap the benefits tomorrow. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, since the investment could be quite bumpy. For example, the substrate needed ought to have been sterilized in the right conditions, failure to which, the seeds wither.

After harvesting, mushrooms become highly perishable, one therefore needs a ready market post-harvest. The fresh mushrooms usually contain around 90% water content. Drying them has proven to preserve their nutrients and flavor hence one could invest in some drying equipment so as to extend their shelf-life.

*Mushroom Farming requires only a small space*

Another fact that will excite you about mushroom farming is that you do not need several acres of land to make a good income. In Kenya, some farmers are actually turning their backyards and even garages into mushroom farms, and confess that they make way more than what they did from their large scale farming of other crops.

But well, it’s not all easy money and overnight success as the foregoing statements might make it sound. To start a solid business in mushroom farming, one needs to invest in a number of things. Let’s take you through these things;

*Mushroom Growing House Design and Requirements*

So the first investment you need to make is building a mushroom growing house. It’s not really costly: in fact, all you need is a simple mud-house with a grass thatched roof. This can be done the very traditional way of using posts and sticks to build the wall structure then fill it up with mud or you can do it as we did using earthen bricks.

Once the house is complete, you need to make shelves. You can use wood and off-cuts since these are readily available and cheap materials. These shelves are used to hold the mushroom growing bags. Now that’s where the science starts- the bags!

*You Can Prepare or Buy Ready Mushroom Growing Bags*

Mushroom growing bags are simply plastic bags filled with a material called a substrate. The substrate is specially prepared. Basically, anything grown on land is a potential substrate for mushroom cultivation.

One may use rice husks, dry banana leaves or coconut waste. Anything from the legume family, such as bean waste, is great because of the nitrogen content. Most commercial mushroom farmers in Kenya use hay, wheat straw or rice husks. Its preparation process is a bit detailed; I cannot cover it in this article but you can always reach experts at Richfarm Kenya, 0724698357 for help in that.

*Where to Buy Spawns – The Mushroom Seeds*

Next are the spawns, or the mushroom seeds. These seeds can only be bought from a professional propagator so as to be sure you get clean, non-contaminated material. On average, 1 kg of spawn will cost Ksh.600 and would be enough for approximately 40 standard size bags.

These seeds are introduced in the bags filled with the substrate and all a farmer does from there on is simply maintain the recommended moisture levels in the bags and the growing house, and wait to start harvesting: no weeding, no spraying pesticides and fungicides and no working under a scorching sun!

*Wholesale Mushroom Prices in Kenya*

Due to the crop’s lower cost of production and the high yielding capacity, mushrooms present a good opportunity for small to middle scale farmers. A kilo of mushroom retails at between Ksh.400 to Ksh.600. This high profit margin means that one will take a shorter time to break even and eventually make profits.

There are a total of fifteen different cultivated mushrooms varieties in the world. A farmer may need to know the various types in order to make the right decision when investing in this sector. The most common ones in Kenya are button and Oyster mushrooms. There are exotic mushrooms that can be grown, often for medicinal use, but they require more skills to grow and knowledge of the markets to find buyers.

*The best mushroom variety to grow in Kenya*

Button mushrooms are quite popular and readily available. The downside is that they are prone to diseases and infections. Oyster mushrooms on the other hand, are hardier and more resistant to infections. Besides, substrates for button mushrooms are prepared and cultured a month ahead. For oyster mushrooms, you can pasteurize your substrate today and introduce the spawns the following day.

The mushrooms are best when freshly picked, so most are sold to local consumers. After they are harvested, they are delivered to local chefs, food co-ops, grocery stores and directly to consumers at the local market.

*Mushroom Market in Kenya*

There are many individual buyers of mushrooms in Nairobi and other big towns. Most of them buy in wholesale prices and resell the products to hotels or supermarkets. So we suggest that you carry out a market survey as you start your mushroom production.

Visit the local vegetable market and talk to a few wholesalers whether they would be willing to buy the mushrooms from you, once they are harvested. Inquire on the price they would be willing to buy for.

Have a social media presence, create a Facebook page and group, create a WhatsApp group and also have an Instagram and TikTok account for your farm. This will help you a great deal in marketing and showing the rest of the world about you mushroom venture.

Invest in good packages, since the packaging system, goes a long way in maintaining the mushrooms’ freshness. You should indicate the contact details as well as the farm’s location on the packaging material so as to attract future customers. Make sure to only package the good quality produce.

Place placards in the local vegetable shops and around your neighborhood. Ask your customers to spread a good word about your mushroom business to their family and friends. Make sure to always emphasize all the nutritional benefits of the mushrooms.

Farmers’ market provides a great way for the farmers since they get to sell a large part of the harvest all at once. This is because market days attract large crowds, who are looking to buy from the locals. You only need to set up a booth and you are ready to go.

On large scale farming, farmers should look for companies that are producing dietary supplements from plant extracts. As discussed earlier, mushrooms are great immune boosters. Email them on their respective websites with your information.

Now days, WhatsApp groups offer a reliable platform for marketing your produce. Create a whatsapp group with your neighbors and update them when the produce is ready for sale. Share delicious mushroom recipes so as to entice people into cooking the mushrooms.

*The Dos*

(1) Keep the growing environment clean and sterile always

(2) It’s advisable to experiment with a small farm before venturing into a big farm

(3) Consult an agriculture extension officer in your area for further advice

(4) Seek mentorship from farmers who are already doing this to understand what challenges they face

(5) Explore your market options in advance to avoid last minute surprises and disappointments

*The Don’ts*

(1) Don’t take shortcuts, mushrooms are very delicate crops and you can lose your entire investment if you don’t follow professional advice in handling them

(2) Don’t buy seeds (spawns) from cheaper sources, always buy from reputable sellers e.g. JKUAT

(3) Don’t forget that cleanliness is at the center of your farm’s productivity (again, and again)

(4) Don’t be in a rush, take your time, like in any other business mushrooms take time to establish

(5) Don’t stop learning, keep researching and keep enquiring to learn the best practices

*How Much To Invest*

A 1/8th farm will require Ksh.230,000 to establish from scratch. However, once the farm-house is constructed and the basic supplies are bought then the cost of operating subsequent farming seasons will drop to about Ksh.150,000.

*How Much To Expect*

Button mushrooms take less than 14 weeks (2 months) to mature and a 1/8th acre farm with 1000 bags platforms can produce as much as 2 tonnes of produce. Each Kilogram goes for an average price of Ksh.600 and this can translate to as much as Ksh.1.2 Million in sales revenue.

*Final Word*

Mushroom farming, although quite cumbersome and labor intensive, is actually very profitable. All you need to do is to put some effort in learning the best practices and combine that with the brilliant business strategies we teach you in our PROFITABLE BUSINESS IDEAS WhatsApp Group to launch the next big brand in the country.

Written By
Timothy Angwenyi
Business Consultant

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