Jithu Thomas and his mother Leena Thomas founded Leena's Mushroom Farm in Kerala, and it has been a major success in just four years. Jithu Thomas, an Ernakulam native, was just 19 years old when he planted his first mushroom seedlings in a packet. It was his favorite hobby with his mother back then, and his passion grew as time passed.
"I used to study a lot about mushroom farming before going online, and it made my research a lot easier," says the 31-year-old farmer. "Today, amma (mother) and I run a 5,000-square-foot farm and a lab near our Piravom home, where 80-100 kg of mushrooms are produced every day." Our daily earnings range from Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000."
Leena's Mushroom Farm was founded four years ago, and Jithu claims that by using scientific methods, they were able to achieve success in a short period of time. Because of excellent planning, the duo's farm was able to weather two floods and the pandemic without suffering a significant drop in sales.
"Mushrooms require a controlled environment in which the temperature does not go below 30 degrees Celsius to develop. As a result, it is critical to install an appropriate cooling system."
"We planned the room and its arrangements so that roughly 20,000 beds may be placed in a location where only 5,000 beds are generally placed," Jithu adds.
Jithu completed his bachelor's degree in physics and his master's degree in social work. He worked as a social entrepreneur for an NGO for a few years after finishing his degree. Mushroom farming had been a side business for all of these years. He became a full-time farmer after seeing the potential of this cultivation and its demand in the local market.
"I've always encouraged his interest in farming, and he now oversees the entire operation, including staff." "He specializes in incorporating innovative strategies and disaster management," Leena, explains.
Jithu participated in a one-day workshop held by Kumarakom's Krishi Vigyan Kendra. Aside from that, no more formal education was received. "Mushroom farming is widely practiced in the country, but it is more popular in countries with a cooler environment. "Personalization is very much important while conducting it in our weather conditions," Jithu adds, adding, "I created the farm myself."
Leena's employs a total of 11 women from the surrounding community. Within a 30 km radius, the product is packaged into 200 g packages and supplied to local vegetable shops, supermarkets, and bakers.
