DAJ reviews Mushroom Development Activities
Jammu| Sept. 12:Director Agriculture Jammu (DAJ) Anil Gupta Saturday visited the Spawn Production Laboratory where he reviewed the trial of Cordyceps mushroom production successfully undertaken by the Department.
Joint Director Agriculture (Inputs) Sanjay Anand; Mushroom Development Officer Arun Gupta and other officers from the Spawn Production Lab and Mushroom Development Scheme accompanied the Director during the visit.
Anil Gupta interacted with the technical staff and took stock of the progress of the trial. He appreciated the efforts of the technical team in exploring new and high-value mushroom varieties and emphasized the need to promote mushroom cultivation as a viable and remunerative enterprise for farmers, mushroom growers and young agripreneurs in the region.
He said that Cordyceps mushroom has significant potential as a high-value crop and the successful trial at the Spawn Production Laboratory is an important step towards exploring its commercial potential in Jammu. The Director further stated that farmers, mushroom growers and young agripreneurs interested in Cordyceps mushroom cultivation will be provided training and technical guidance through DCTC Jammu, enabling them to take up the activity in a scientific and economically viable manner.
Later, the Director also inspected the Mushroom Controlled Cropping Unit at DCTC Jammu and reviewed the facilities available for controlled-environment mushroom production. He interacted with the technical personnel and took detailed information regarding the functioning and utilization of the unit.
Anil Gupta said that controlled cropping technology can enable farmers to cultivate mushrooms throughout the year by providing a suitable production environment, thereby reducing dependence on seasonal conditions. He emphasized that adoption of such technology can help farmers increase production cycles, improve productivity and create additional and more stable sources of income. “Besides Button mushroom, the Department is also focusing on strengthening the cultivation of Oyster (Dingri) and Milky mushroom and extend all possible technical support to farmers interested in adopting these varieties” he said.
