In a significant move to strengthen women-led agriculture and entrepreneurship, the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM) has approved ₹1.07 crore for the establishment of a Mushroom Spawn Production Unit in West Tripura district. The project aims to make local mushroom cultivators self-reliant by reducing their dependence on spawn sourced from outside the state.
Currently, most mushroom growers in Tripura—predominantly women members of Self Help Groups (SHGs), widely known as TRLM didis—purchase mushroom spawn from other states. This not only increases production costs but also affects timely availability. The new local spawn production unit will end this dependency by producing high-quality spawn within the state, which will be made available to SHG members at subsidised rates.
The initiative is expected to significantly enhance mushroom cultivation in West Tripura, creating more income opportunities and strengthening rural women’s livelihoods.
To ensure technical excellence, a team of TRLM officials recently visited Solan district in Himachal Pradesh, a nationally recognised hub for mushroom spawn production. They studied advanced practices, quality control measures, and institutional models for running successful spawn production units.
Mushroom spawn production is a highly controlled process that requires sterile conditions and specialised equipment such as autoclaves, laminar airflow cabinets, incubators, and culture rooms. It involves preparing mother cultures, sterilising substrates, inoculation, and incubation, all under strict protocols to maintain contamination-free, high-quality spawn.
The proposed unit in West Tripura will be equipped with modern infrastructure, power backup, and trained personnel to ensure consistent and reliable spawn production. This initiative aligns with TRLM’s broader mission to promote value-chain development, foster local enterprises, and create sustainable income-generating opportunities for rural women across Tripura.
