Mushroom growing

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Rockfossil
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Mushroom growing

Post by Rockfossil » October 17, 2015, 10:37 am

I am interested in growing mushrooms, but need some assistance to get started. Does anybody grow mushrooms, or know someone who does ? You can contact me on 0845669268, or contact me here on the forum. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.



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noosard
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Mushroom growing

Post by noosard » October 17, 2015, 11:03 am

My wife and I grow mushrooms
Also Bumper has a mushroom farm

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Mushroom growing

Post by bumper » October 17, 2015, 11:44 am

All depends on what you are planning on doing, the wife sold the farm But, we kept busy with it for sometime.

If you really want to make money you have to make your own packets.

Selling is easy enough making a profit is not. Keep in mind it requires a lot of water if you are doing a volume operation.

What are you trying to achieve?

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noosard
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Post by noosard » October 17, 2015, 12:19 pm

The bit about making a profit is the tricky bit
I have invested about 300k into sheds and machinery etc
Last year made a profit of 25k
This year looking like a profit of 100k- 150k
We make our own packets, which gives the extended family money
Wife and Mama picks and sells which pays their wages on going
Last year we lost a lot of mushrooms (2 Batches 3000+ 4000 ) made 25000 packets
This year has been good with only 1 batch not performing (5000) just breaking even on )5 batches for 33000 packets
Overall there is a lot of work involved
Making, cooking, seeding, stacking and restacking
Opening, cleaning, picking, cleaning again
Plus the removal of old packets (about 33 tons of )

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Mushroom growing

Post by bumper » October 17, 2015, 2:27 pm

I think that explains it really well. It's a lot of work. Never really slows down always something that needs to be done. One type of mushroom for the cold season another for the hot season. Selling them is the easy part

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noosard
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Post by noosard » October 17, 2015, 3:15 pm

Yes selling the easy part
Part I do not do
We did well this year with the Nang Fa mushrooms when it was hot
No one else had any

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Mushroom growing

Post by pal52 » October 17, 2015, 3:29 pm

Have you tried growing Capsicums (red or yellow peppers) along with the mushrooms as an extra crop.
Capsicums like hot humid conditions do not take up much room & are expensive to buy.

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Mushroom growing

Post by bumper » October 17, 2015, 7:48 pm

WE had a fish pond next to out houses, Cheaper to get the water from the pond, Fish ate the mushroom trimmings. Mushrooms are faster money, But, you need to add to the bottom line somehow. I know I posted a lot on hee about our farm operation. But, I can't find the link now.

TV had a thread running on mushroom farming and fish farming with real sharp guys posting. If I find it again I will post the link.
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Rockfossil
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Mushroom growing

Post by Rockfossil » October 18, 2015, 11:24 am

Thank you for the information and tips. At this stage I was going to set up a small operation (400) packets to see what is involved, costs, labour and water (I don't have a fish pond or bore yet). The people I spoke to originally said that they were buying packets for 10 baht, and selling mushrooms for 70 baht per kilo. He was buying his packets from a government department (Dept of Agriculture, I think it was), and the Department also ran courses, once per month to encourage people to get involved. This was in Rayong, and I thought the Department may be doing the same up here. The instructor from the course would also come to your farm to inspect and assist new comers. They said that they could make a living from 4000 packets. Does this sound right, make sense, as they seemed very knowledgeable about the industry and the pitfalls. The people I spoke to were English. I would be happy to talk to people like yourselves up here to really get more of an idea of what is involved. Thanks for your info so far gents.

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noosard
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Post by noosard » October 18, 2015, 12:18 pm

Originally the wife bought 1200 ?? from a supplier who also constructed a shed for her ( cost about 10k)
There are lots of suppliers of packets here in the Udon area ( costs 6-10 bht)
My thoughts on 400 at 10bht you should get your money back
My thoughts on 4000
That would be 2 sheds of 2000 each replacing 3 times a year (12000)
Profit from that depends on things
Cost of packets ( we make our own at 4-5bht each)
Production of mushrooms, both kilos produce per cycle plus the cycles per batch
Sales is the easy part Nang Fa 50-80/kilo Kon Cou 80-100/kilo
Nang Fa are easier to do
So on 4000 *3 at 6bht cost 72k going good hope to double sales to 144k
Profit 72k for a year

There is a college on the north side of Udon which has courses

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Mushroom growing

Post by wiking » October 18, 2015, 2:24 pm

I knew several they stopped again - because no profit in the end

nice calulations - but in the end, there are not comming these kilo out what they promise you

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noosard
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Post by noosard » October 18, 2015, 3:02 pm

Like most farming ventures not a great profit margin
Which shows food is too cheap

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Post by bumper » October 19, 2015, 2:16 pm

We never got 70 baht a kilo, you can buy them in the market for less then that

Be very careful about what a Thai tells you they never really track costs.

You need water

If you have a nitch market outside of Udon, or you can raise in volumes enough to sale in Bangkok they will come and pick them up for you. You need a minimum of 50 Kilos daily for that, you will get more money that way.

With 12K packets we might hit 50 Kilos one time

I would say to you if you want something to keep you busy and learn something new its great.

If you want to make money you have to able to make the packets yourself and keep costs down, probably more money in making the packets then selling the product.

I had fun with it, good luck. But, I didn't make any money in the end.
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pal52
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Mushroom growing

Post by pal52 » October 19, 2015, 2:39 pm

bumper wrote:We never got 70 baht a kilo, you can buy them in the market for less then that

Be very careful about what a Thai tells you they never really track costs.

You need water

If you have a nitch market outside of Udon, or you can raise in volumes enough to sale in Bangkok they will come and pick them up for you. You need a minimum of 50 Kilos daily for that, you will get more money that way.

With 12K packets we might hit 50 Kilos one time

I would say to you if you want something to keep you busy and learn something new its great.

If you want to make money you have to able to make the packets yourself and keep costs down, probably more money in making the packets then selling the product.

I had fun with it, good luck. But, I didn't make any money in the end.
Rockfossil Take note of experience of Bumper in Udon.
You have been quoted a price of 70B a Kilo in Rayong/Pattaya a tourist area where prices are probably higher.
It appears to me that there is a lot of work involved & only MAYBE a profit for the family.
Think before you make a decision which maybe very difficult as the wife & family will be convinced they can make a good profit.
Do not let the heart rule the head.

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Geoffrey
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Mushroom growing

Post by Geoffrey » October 19, 2015, 5:29 pm

The Good Shepherd Sisters propagate mushrooms at the Village Vocational Training Center about 8 km south of Nong Khai.
Holy Harp

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noosard
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Post by noosard » October 19, 2015, 6:12 pm

At the moment the wife is averaging 60bht a kilo for Nang Fa and just over the 100bht for Kon Kou
It all depends on your markets
Yes you need to keep track of expenses and sales
I make the wife write in book everyday her sales (actual money she brings home)

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Brian Davis
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Mushroom growing

Post by Brian Davis » October 20, 2015, 6:36 am

Family members of neighbours of ours relocated here (Phen) from Korat perhaps about a year or so back. They set up a mushroom growing system. I'm sure they had previous experience, certainly seemed to know what they were doing, spent a long while constructing bamboo supports, black covers, hundreds of small black bags, pvc piping etc. I thought it seemed to be going ok. My wife bought her needs from them. But recently called it a day, not making enough money and, I believe, went back to Korat.

Rockfossil
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Mushroom growing

Post by Rockfossil » October 23, 2015, 11:43 am

Gents, many thanks for your time, infor and tips. I think I will have to find something else to keep me busy. Sounds like mushroom farming is quite involved and very little return. Thanks again.

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Mex
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Re: Mushroom growing

Post by Mex » December 1, 2016, 11:08 pm

Any idea on the water usage per month?

TIA>
If it looks good..and smells good..go for it..

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noosard
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Re: Mushroom growing

Post by noosard » December 2, 2016, 6:45 am

Not expensive as have not noticed a change in the water bill

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