KANCHANPUR: When Parbati Thapa of Bangaun in Bhimdutta Municipality-6, Kanchanpur district lost her husband in 2012, she found herself struggling to meet household expenses and support her family.

Having to ask others for money was particularly difficult for her. Determined to stand on her own, Thapa turned to mushroom farming, a venture that has gradually transformed her life.

What started as a modest effort seven years ago has now grown into five mushroom farms, allowing her to produce mushrooms round the year.

”After my husband passed away, I had to ask others for money even for basic needs. It felt bad when people said they did not have any. I thought it would be better to do something on my own rather than depend on others,” she recalled.

The beginning was far from easy for this single woman. With little knowledge of mushroom cultivation, her first attempt ended in utter disappointment.

Five bags of mushrooms went to waste because she did not know how to grow them properly, she shared. Instead of giving up, Thapa sought guidance from the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in her locality and visited other mushroom farms to learn from fellow farmers.

She gradually learned the techniques, improved production and began reinvesting her earnings to expand the business. Today, she sells around 1,500 kilograms of mushrooms annually, generating an income of up to Rs 200,000.

After deducting production costs, she earns a profit of nearly 50 per cent, she divulged. The earnings have helped her cover household expenses and meet the educational needs of her two sons.

Her son, who is studying agricultural science, also helps her with the business. Thapa grows oyster and milky mushrooms during the winter and monsoon seasons and is preparing to add another variety to her farms. But expanding production is not without challenges, she mentioned.

Cheaper mushrooms brought in from other districts often make it difficult for local growers like her to get a fair price for their produce, she said, highlighting the challenges faced by local mushroom farmers.

She stresses that the local governments should promote locally produced mushrooms and help farmers secure fair market prices.

For Thapa, mushroom farming has become more than a source of income. It has given her financial independence, confidence and the means to support her family through her own efforts.