Mushroom Cultivation.

Mushroom, an important protein yielding edible fleshy fungi, is becoming a prominent delicacy particularly in balanced vegetarian diet. Apart from its importance in providing the proteinous delicacies, mushroom cultivation is now becoming an important income generating activity. Unlike in agricultural enterprises, the land requirements for the enterprise is considerably less. Hence, mushroom growing can be an important activity for small farmers as well. Since mushroom cultivation is different from other agricultural and horticultural activities. It is important to have thorough knowledge of the different aspects of its cultivation. In this book, the authors have very interestingly dealt with the cultivation and marketing of mushrooms with special reference to Himachal Pradesh.

The exposition of the economics of mushroom cultivation and the feasibility studies will serve as a ready reference to those interested in this enterprise. The analysis of the socio-economic structure of the mushroom growers of the study area will surely motivate others in similar position. The discussion on the problems of mushroom growing will help the prospective growers to take all precautionary steps in time. The programme planners, executers, administrators and prospective mushroom growers will find this book highly interesting and useful.

Dr. Suresh Chander Tewari (b. 1939) did his Ph.D in 1965 in Agri. Economics and Post. Doc in 1990 in Natural Resource Economics and Management from Ohio State University, USA. Later he was visiting Professor in the same University. He was instrumental in starting PG Studies in Forest Economics, Horticulture Economics and establishing Department of Business Management in Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) wherefrom he had retired in 1999 as Professor & Head of Department of Social Sciences.

He acted as resource person for Agriculture Development and Agri-business Management courses in Makhan Lal Chatruvedi Patarkarita University Bhopal from 2002-2004, as a consultant for establishment of Rockwood Business School, Noida. He was instrumental in establishing Shoolini Institute of Life Sciences and Business Management (SILB), Solan in 2004, where he worked in various capacities including President of SILB. He was appointed as Professor of Eminence in Business Management in Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences in October, 2010 and worked there as Dean Academic Affairs and Audit till 2015.

He served as a consultant to FAO, USAID, World Bank aided projects, Winrock International and Waste Land Development Board Indo-German Project HP. He had served for two years (1980-1982) as Professor of Rural Development at University of Dare-Es-Salam, Morogora, Tanzania.

He had published more than 150 Research papers and organized more than 20 national workshop & seminars. He was facilitated by more than 20 National and International Societies for his work in the field of Education.

Mr. Pankaj Kapoor after graduation from the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Nainital (U.P.) did his M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics from H.P.K.V.V., Palampur (H.P.). He obtained his M.B.A degree from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He has published more than a dozen research papers.