Once Lost His Farm to a Cyclone and Battled Spondylitis, Now This Farmer is Cultivating Value-Added Oyster Mushrooms; Earns ₹9L Annually

Imagine suffering from a disease that restricts neck movement, causes chronic inflammation, and leads to constant back pain.

This story is about 45-year-old Manas Ranjan Das, who belongs to the Cuttack district of Odisha and is currently running a mushroom cultivation farm known as Ritanjali Mushroom Farm, named after his wife, Ritanjali Das. 

Suffering from a disease known as Ankylosing Spondylitis, Manas wakes up at 4 AM every day to visit his farm, review the previous day’s operations, inspect the produce, and plan the tasks.

“I have spondylitis. My neck cannot turn, and I cannot even stand straight. Doctors told me it cannot be cured, and I spent two to three lakh rupees on treatment, but nothing worked. Still, I had to continue. If you know how to farm, you find your own solutions and move forward,” Manas tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview. 

Beginning his journey as a marketer at a local Samsung shop selling home appliances and mobile phones, Manas today runs a venture that earns an annual revenue of around Rs. 9 lakh.

The farm, started in the year 2018–19, faced several challenges due to natural calamities and financial issues. However, with external support from senior scientists and leaders, Manas is now successfully cultivating mushrooms and distributing them in nearby regions. 

About the Owner of Ritanjali Mushroom Farm

Manas completed his higher secondary education at a local school and later earned a B.A. degree from LN Sahu College, Cuttack, in 2002. 

His professional journey began as a marketing executive for Samsung home appliances, where he sold TVs and refrigerators at a Croma store for a modest salary of just Rs. 1,000 per month.

Between 2006 and 2011, Manas ran his own video editing business, which operated successfully for five years. 

However, the venture had to be shut down after he began experiencing severe neck problems. Years of sitting continuously for 16–17 hours while editing videos led to spondylitis.

"During those five years, I was completely immersed in my work. I would sit in front of the computer for 16 to 17 hours a day without realising the damage it was doing," Manas says.

"Eventually, the business had to close down. The team I had built moved on, and combined with my failing health, I simply couldn't sustain it anymore," he added.

In 2011, he returned to a marketing executive role at a local college, where he was responsible for generating leads and attracting student admissions, earning around Rs. 6,000 per month.

By 2014, the impact of years of intensive computer work had resulted in severe spondylitis. The condition left his neck and back permanently stiff, making it difficult for him to stand straight or turn his head freely.

Currently, Manas is married and has a child.

Recognising the Limitations of Being a Job Seeker

While working as a marketing executive from 2011 onwards, Manas lived through a harsh economic reality- he worked all 30 days of the month to earn Rs 10,000. 

His “aha!” moment came when he got the opportunity to visit a local tribal village and observed that tribal farmers were earning around Rs. 1000 in a single day from mushroom farming. 

He also noticed that their investment was minimal, and the space requirement was minimal, yet the returns were immediate.

“I realised that while I was working 30 days a month for a salary of Rs. 10,000, tribal farmers were earning Rs. 1,000 in a single day. That contrast was my greatest inspiration,” the agripreneur tells Startup Pedia.

Why did Manas Chose Mushroom Farming?

According to Manas, mushrooms have a very short harvest cycle. Specifically, he focused on Paddy Straw Mushrooms, which allowed him to complete two harvest cycles in a single month, doubling the production frequency compared to Button Mushrooms. 

It offered a high-turnover business that required low initial capital and utilised vertical space effectively.

Additionally, by that time, Manas’s father also purchased 2 acres of land nearby, in a prime municipality area, meaning he had the space and market access ready to go. 

“When I saw that mushroom farming required low investment and minimal space with such rapid harvesting cycles, I knew it was the right path for my father’s land,” Manas tells Startup Pedia.

Manas’s First Experiment to Cultivate Mushrooms

It was in 2017 that Manas made his first attempt at mushroom cultivation, investing around Rs. 20,000. However, he lost his initial investment because he lacked the technical knowledge to properly prepare the beds and manage the precise balance of moisture, temperature, and airflow required for the mushrooms to survive.

This setback did not demotivate him, as he remained committed to mastering the mushroom cultivation process.

He later enrolled in a seven-day course at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), where he met Prof. Dr Niranjan Chinara, who guided and motivated him to develop the technical expertise required for mushroom farming. 

During the training, Manas learned the exact method of laying spawn (seeds) in the beds, how to maintain the precise moisture levels needed for mycelium growth, and when to provide fresh air or keep the beds airtight to stimulate production. 

“My initial investment of Rs. 20,000 turned into a total loss because I lacked technical knowledge. It taught me that in agriculture, you cannot succeed on intuition alone," the agripreneur says.

"It was the seven-day training at OUAT that taught me the science behind the bed, how to handle the seeds, maintain moisture, and manage the airflow," he added further.

Manas also developed the ability to adjust these conditions based on external weather, whether during extreme summer heat or heavy monsoon rains.

Overcoming his initial failure, Manas completed the course and later attended an advanced training programme at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra on protected structures. 

This training helped him understand that climate-controlled, high-tech environments are key to achieving consistent profits in mushroom cultivation.

Also Read: Delhi Farmer Started Growing Mushrooms In A Small Room, Now Produces 170 Kg Mushrooms Daily - Clocks Monthly Revenue Of Rs 7 Lakh

About Ritanjali Mushroom Farm

In 2018, with a fresh loan of Rs. 1.42 lakh arranged by his wife through the Vaishnav Devi Mahila Mission Shakti Self-Help Group, Manas used around 250 bamboo stalks and green shade nets to set up a polyhouse. 

However, during Cyclone Fani in 2019, he lost the temporary structure at a time when the farm was in its scaling phase. The cyclone devastated the Odisha coast, destroying Manas’s farming setup.

He spent several months clearing the debris and resumed production in July 2019. During this period, he also received Rs. 40,000 from the state government, specifically designated for mushroom farmers affected by the cyclone.

“A farmer is not treated like a businessman. When you ask for a loan, the bank only asks for collateral, not your vision. The life of a farmer is often quite miserable because of this gap," the Cuttack-based mushroom farmer says.

"In coastal states like Odisha, we fight natural calamities every few years. Cyclones like Fani can smash your structure in a day, forcing you to start from zero all over again," he added further.

Realising that bamboo structures deteriorate every year, Manas used the recovery phase to plan a more permanent and climate-resilient setup. 

He later installed an automated iron-rack system within a 3,500 sq. ft. unit, maximising vertical space and preventing ground-borne contamination. 

Today, the farm functions as a protected structure designed to withstand the harsh coastal climate of Odisha.

The farm specialises in Paddy Straw Mushrooms, which are highly suited to the regional climate and offer a rapid return on investment.

Also Read: Haryana Engineer Quits Job To Start Vermicompost Biz; Clocks Rs 45 Lakh In FY25

Production Capacity and Cycle

• Land Area: The production unit is spread over 2 acres of land.

• Harvest Cycles: Unlike button mushrooms, which have longer cycles, paddy straw mushrooms allow for two cycles per month. A single cycle takes about 11–12 days from bedding to harvest.

• Annual Volume: The farm runs continuously for about 11–12 cycles per year, primarily peaking between March and October.

• Daily Output: The farm produces 20–25 kg of mushrooms daily from its own beds. However, to meet a market demand of 30–40 kg per day, the farm acts as a hub, sourcing the remainder from local small-scale farmers and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Adding Value to Mushroom Cultivation

Apart from its primary commercial focus on mushroom cultivation, the farm also functions as a centre for innovation and side projects. 

Manas and his team have allocated a dedicated space for drying surplus mushrooms and processing them into powders, cookies, and pickles. 

Since fresh oyster mushrooms have a shelf life of only 72 hours, any unsold stock is converted into powder, which has a shelf life of one year and sells for Rs. 1,000 per kg.

“Value addition is our insurance policy. If a mushroom isn't sold today, we dry it into powder. This way, we never lose, we just create a different, long-lasting product,” Manas tells Startup Pedia.

He also utilises a portion of the land to grow organic vegetables, contributing to the farm’s larger goal of sustainable, chemical-free production. 

In addition, the farm serves as a training centre, where Manas has trained over 700 individuals from local Self-Help Groups (SHGs) on the technical aspects of protected structures. For this, he earns an honorarium of Rs. 5,000 per assignment, further diversifying his income.

In 2022, he was officially honoured as an innovative farmer by the National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack.

Also Read: Uttarakhand’s Engineering Couple Took Loan To Start Growing Exotic Mushrooms; Now Produce Up To 200 Kg Daily, Clocked Rs 15 Cr Revenue

Business Model and Distribution Channel

Ritanjali Mushroom Farm follows a B2C model to maintain control over quality and pricing. By bypassing traditional wholesalers and middlemen, Manas ensures that the mushrooms reaching consumers’ kitchens are fresh and clean. 

He also regularly gathers feedback from customers to understand how mushrooms grown in protected structures compare with those available in the open market.

While the farm harvests around 20–25 kg of mushrooms daily, market demand often rises to 30–40 kg. To bridge this gap, Manas sources mushrooms from local small farmers and Self-Help Groups (SHGs). 

If these groups are left with unsold stock, he purchases their produce and sells it through his network, ensuring that no farmer in his value chain suffers a total loss.

Also Read: Wayanad-Based Engineer Quits Decade-Long Career to Start Kerala’s First Indoor Saffron Farm; Builds a Lucrative Business

Revenue and Growth

After rebuilding his farm post-Cyclone Fani in 2021, he generated a monthly revenue of around Rs. 60,000–70,000. In FY22, his revenue rose to approximately Rs. 4.5 lakh.

While growth remained largely stagnant in FY23, it picked up again in FY24, when he earned around Rs. 7.5 lakh. 

In FY25, his revenue reached nearly Rs. 9 lakh, and he expects it to touch Rs. 12 lakh through his overall operations.

Looking Ahead

Moving forward, Manas aims to cultivate other varieties of mushrooms with anti-cancer properties, particularly the Shiitake variety. 

He also expects to become one of the first entrepreneurs in Odisha to provide value-added mushroom products at a commercial scale. 

Currently, he is producing sugar-free mushroom cookies and millet-based savoury snacks to cater to the growing segment of health-conscious and diabetic consumers.

By converting a larger share of his fresh harvest into long-shelf-life powders and pickles, he aims to eliminate seasonal dips in income and ensure a steady cash flow even during months when fresh cultivation becomes challenging.

"By the end of 2026, our mission is to start cultivating Shiitake and Ganoderma. We want to move beyond staples and provide mushrooms that truly act as medicine for our people," the farmer tells Startup Pedia.

Also Read: 5 Agritech Startups Revolutionizing Sustainable Farming and Transforming the Future of Indian Agriculture