Kota Rajasthan: Yashraj left a corporate career to take up farming; started a mushroom business with ₹15,000 and built an enterprise worth ₹20 lakh
For Yashraj Sahu, a resident of Kota, Rajasthan, farming is not merely a traditional occupation; he has demonstrated how modern agriculture can evolve into a thriving business that generates employment for others. After completing his B.Sc. in Agriculture from Kota Agriculture University, Yashraj chose entrepreneurship over a conventional job and founded 'Agro Steps Private Limited.'
Today, the company boasts an annual turnover of approximately ₹20 lakh and employs 15 to 20 local residents. However, this journey began with limited capital and immense hard work.
Yashraj had been interested in mushroom farming since his school days. He had observed a farmer in his village cultivating mushrooms and became curious about the business. In 2017, prior to enrolling in college, he began experimenting with just 10 mushroom bags. During his college years, he met his friend Rahul Meena, and together they decided to take the idea forward.
When they were unable to secure a bank loan, the duo and their team pooled about ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 from their pocket money. With this modest sum, they constructed a 625-square-foot soil-less farm using bamboo, green netting, and black plastic sheets. Yashraj spent ten nights preparing 500 hanging bags for mushroom cultivation.
Later, he sought technical guidance from experts at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Kota and adopted a vertical, soil-less farming method. This approach enabled them to cultivate a larger quantity of mushrooms within a limited space. Within 45 to 60 days, they had produced approximately 1,000 kilograms of fresh oyster mushrooms. He earned a profit of over ₹80,000 from his first commercial batch.
Subsequently, Yashraj expanded his operations beyond selling just fresh mushrooms. He began producing mushroom powder—a value-added product that could reach a wider market. This powder reportedly sells for approximately ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 per kilogram.
Today, 'Agro Steps' also assists farmers and rural residents in setting up low-cost mushroom farms. The company offers a buy-back arrangement for their produce, thereby helping farmers secure a market. In this way, a small experiment has evolved into a business that is generating income and employment in rural areas.