Mushroom centre opens at Lal Mandi

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 19

Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura and Minister for Education Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today inaugurated an Integrated Mushroom Development Centre (IMDC) at Lal Mandi here, which has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the purpose of setting up the centre was to make the mushroom industry an employment-generating industry of the state.

“Hanjura hoped that after setting up of the centre at Lal Mandi, it will become an attractive spot for poor farmers, especially for unemployed youth, as the mushroom industry has the potential to increase their income through greater production,” a statement said.

The minister also said that to encourage mushroom cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir, the state Agriculture Department had introduced low-cost technology, subsidies and training for its cultivation.

Minister for Education Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said the centre would provide all possible assistance to mushroom-growers across the state to boost the production. He said a large number of people were attracted to take up mushroom cultivation due to low initial investment and high returns. The Education Minister also said the biggest advantage of mushroom cultivation was that in the absence of agricultural land, one could undertake mushroom cultivation indoors as well. Director, Agriculture, Altaf Ajaz Andrabi said the mushroom industry used to be a booming industry of the state and efforts were on to retain the old glory of the traditional industry of the state.