Ludhiana: 47 trainees get trained in winter season mushroom growing

A total of 47 farmers, rural women and youths attended the five-day training programme on the cultivation of winter season mushrooms which concluded at the Skill Development Centre of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on Saturday. The programme was held under the guidance of extension education director of MS Bhullar.

Skill development associate director Dr Rupinder Kaur said that there was a rising trend for mushroom cultivation due to less space, minimal investment and more profit. Mushroom farming was being advocated as a subsidiary occupation, helping in accruing monetary benefits, nutritional security as well as livelihood sustainability, she added.

Course coordinator Dr Prerna Kapila cited the successful examples of PAU-skilled mushroom growers earning substantially from its cultivation and processing. She along with Kuldeep Kaur demonstrated mushroom-based processing technologies.

Course coordinator Dilpreet Singh shared the importance of farm-related occupations in the income enhancement of the landless, small and medium farmers and unemployed youth.

College of Basic Sciences and Humanities Dean Dr Shammi Kapoor and mycologist Dr Shivani Sharma explained the agronomic practices for the successful cultivation of paddy straw, milky, dhingri and shiitake mushrooms.

Dr Sukhjit Kaur, Dr Sonika Sharma, Dr Ramandeep Singh, Dr Maninder Kaur, Dr Narinder Kalsi, and Dr IS Sandhu shared the nutritional benefits, processing techniques, profitable marketing of mushroom related products and subsidy available for the startups.