How do I grow shiitake mushroom in India and what does it need?

Shiitake is a high value speciality mushroom but it is more demanding and slower than oyster, so it suits cooler hill areas and serious growers more than a casual beginner. It is grown either on hardwood logs the traditional way, or more commonly now on sterilised supplemented sawdust blocks made of hardwood sawdust with bran. The blocks need full sterilisation, not just pasteurisation, and a long colonisation period of several weeks to a couple of months while the block browns. Fruiting prefers cooler temperatures, broadly around 15 to 20 degrees C with high humidity and fresh air, and is often triggered by a cold or soaking shock. Because of the sterilisation need and long cycle, contamination risk and cost are higher. Cooler hill states suit it best. Get proper hands on training and the right strain from DMR Solan or a State Agricultural University before investing.