Solan Mushroom City: National Mushroom Research Heritage

Solan town in Himachal Pradesh is called the Mushroom City of India for hosting the National Centre for Mushroom Research and Training established in 1983. The cool humid climate with controlled temperature conditions creates ideal year-round mushroom growing conditions. Himachal Pradesh produces the majority of India's edible mushroom crop particularly Button mushrooms. Training programmes at Solan have spread mushroom cultivation technology to farming communities across India providing high-value supplementary income with low land requirements. Wild mushroom knowledge in local forest communities identifies dozens of edible and medicinal fungal species in Himachali forests. The mushroom cultivation industry supports women entrepreneurs who operate growing units within their homes or on small plots of land.