Sangrur, November 10:- A five-day vocational training course on mushroom cultivation and processing was organised by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sangrur, under Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana. The course was conducted under the guidance of the Director of Extension Education, PAU, Ludhiana, and the Director of ICAR-ATARI, Zone-I, Ludhiana. A total of 27 farmers, including women farmers from various villages of Sangrur district, participated in the programme.
Dr. Mandeep Singh, In-charge of PAU-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sangrur, emphasised the adoption of mushroom cultivation as an allied occupation. He stated that this enterprise could help farming families increase their income and create self-employment opportunities for unemployed youth.
During the course, Dr. Ravinder Kaur, Associate Professor (Horticulture), provided practical training to the participants through demonstrations on compost preparation, spawning and casing. Dr. Rachna Singla, Professor (Horticulture) at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Patiala, explained irrigation and ventilation management for the proper growth of mushrooms. Dr. Rukinderpreet Singh Dhaliwal, Assistant Professor (Crop Science), KVK, Sangrur, discussed various techniques to improve mushroom quality and increase yield.
Dr. Vitasta, Assistant Professor (Home Science), KVK, Sangrur, highlighted the nutritional importance of mushrooms and explained that they contain essential nutrients such as protein, dietary fibre, antioxidants and vitamins B and D. She also explained different methods of preparing mushroom dishes by grilling, baking and frying.
Dr. Kulwinder Singh, Horticulture Officer, Sangrur, informed the participants about the government subsidies available for mushroom cultivation. Surmukh Singh, Lead Bank Manager of State Bank of India, Sangrur, and Manish Gupta, District Development Manager of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Sangrur, briefed the trainees about various schemes and financial facilities provided by banks.
As part of the practical training, the participants visited ‘Sarao Mushroom Farm’, owned by Kuldeep Singh in village Mehlan. There, they observed the preparation of low-cost sheds and the process of mushroom cultivation closely. The trainees also got an opportunity to interact directly with Jaspal Singh of Khanal Khurd and Raman Singh of Ubhaawal and learn from their experiences in mushroom cultivation. In addition, scientific literature related to mushroom cultivation was distributed among the participants.
