SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: As mushroom cultivation is gaining popularity in Jammu and Kashmir, Department of Agriculture Kashmir, and SKAUST-K is also providing proper guidance regarding scientific technology and ideas to the young farmer who are coming forward to become entrepreneurs.
Also to promote year-round mushroom cultivation in J&K, many projects worth crores are in pipeline, and many more are nearing completion.
The 25th annual group meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Mushroom (AICRP-M) ended at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) on Thursday.
During the two-day annual meeting hosted by SKUAST-K’s Division of Plant Pathology was attended by various delegates, including ADG-Horticulture, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, Director, DMR Solan, acting Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir, Directors, Deans and HODs of various institutions and Mushroom scientists from across the country to discuss latest technologies, cutting-edge research, and innovation in Mushroom cultivation.
The objective of the annual meeting is to enhance the productivity, quality, and sustainability of mushroom production in India.
Acting Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof. M. A. A. Siddiqui, while welcoming the delegates of the country’s top agricultural universities and institutions, thanked ICAR-AICRP for holding the annual group meeting for the first time in Kashmir.
He emphasized on mushroom scientists to develop cost effective production technologies of high valued mushrooms and ensure transfer of technologies to farmer’s doorsteps, as Kashmir is becoming major hub for mushroom cultivation. ADG Horticulture, ICAR, Dr. Sudhakar Pandey thanked SKUAST-K for hosting the annual meeting and put emphasis on the need for quality spawn production and domestication of new edible mushroom for enriching the diversity of edible mushrooms.
Dr. V.P Sharma, Director, ICAR, DMR, delivered the project remarks, coordinators report and presented the achievements of AICR-M and DMR Solan. He also stated about the roadmap for the future research needed for strengthening the mushroom research in the country.
Prof. A.H. Mughal, Director Research, SKUAST-K and Prof. Neelofar Banday, Dean Faculty of Horticulture emphasized on the importance of mushroom farming in the modern agricultural practices for addressing the nutritional challenges of the country.
Earlier Organising Secretary of the event, Dr. Mohammad Najeeb Mughal, formally welcomed all the delegates and guests and the inaugural session ended on vote of thanks presented by In-charge HOD Plant Pathology, Dr. Bilal Ahmad Padder.