Experts dwell on cultivation of diverse mushrooms, their nutritional benefits

A total of 71 farmers, rural women and youths are attending the three-day training programme on 'Cultivation of summer and tropical mushrooms,” organised by the Skill Development Centre in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

The training programme, which will conclude on Thursday, has been designed under the guidance of Dr MS Bhullar, Director of Extension Education.

Paying tributes to Dr HS Garcha, an agricultural stalwart who initiated mushroom growing, PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal said the PAU holds the training programme twice a year to multiply the mushroom production and income of the agricultural community.

"Punjab is one of the top mushroom-producing states with the majority of its growers fully equipped with skill-related trainings by the PAU,” he said.

Dr Rupinder Kaur, Associate Director (Skill Development), said the mushroom production was a low-cost, less-space requiring profitable enterprise for the rural community..

Dr Shivani Sharma, Dr Jaspreet Kaur, Dr Aaina Goyal, Dr Sonika Sharma, Dr Arshdeep Singh and Dr Rakesh Rathore, dwelt upon the cultivation of diverse mushrooms, their nutritional benefits and processing, preparation of homemade food products and marketing strategies.