Arun Jasrotia
Kathua: TDD,Mushroom farming appears to be gaining traction in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Sanjeev Rai Gupta, Chief Agriculture Officer Kathua, the Agriculture Production and Farmers’ Welfare Department Kathua is committed to advancing balanced mushroom farming throughout the year in the region’s cultivation areas under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP).
He noted, “In the past, it was standard to cultivate mushrooms twice a year—once in spring and once in autumn. Nevertheless, the department has undertaken and is continuing to explore several projects aimed at instructing farmers, in particular women, on how to cultivate mushrooms in their region as income-generating crops, employing local varieties throughout the year.”
The department is working to achieve year-round availability of mushrooms as part of the programme under HADP.
Thus, for the past year, the department has been able to carry out cultivation on 500 acres with a yield of about 4000 quintals.
For the current season, this will be increased to 8,000 quintals. Gupta noted that there are a number of possibilities in mushroom farming for the youth as an agro-business and are likely to benefit from the schemes under the HADP including support for the production of compost needed for mushroom growth, development of AC rooms for mushroom growth and setting up of mini units. He also added that the pesticides are provided through subsidy by the department along with the training and exposure visit of the budding young entrepreneurs in the area.TDD