Meghalaya targets 5000 tonnes of mushroom in 5 years

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Government is targeting to produce 5000 tonnes of mushrooms in the next five year as per the Mission Mushroom cultivation for income generation. Meghalaya is known for the varieties of wild mushrooms due to the favourable climatic conditions. But the focus now is on the button and oyster mushrooms that will be further bolstered by the Chitaka mushroom species, stated KN Kumar, the Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Agriculture production during an official function here on Monday.

The Mission will cost Rs 50 crore over a period of five years. The funds for the Mission will be sourced from a number of agencies viz., Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Government of India, Megh-LAMP and the German Development Bank. The project will target 130 villages. The successful entrepreneurs will be further complemented financially, he added.

“For button mushrooms, there are 30 villages, the oyster mushrooms in 70 villages and the Chitaka mushroom will be introduced on a pilot project basis in 12 Shnong areas under East Khasi Hills,” stated the Additional Chief Secretary. Speaking about the Mushroom Mission, he pointed out that the State Cabinet will accord the formal nod early next year. Kumar also stated, “We have a comprehensive plan that needs the stakeholders’ opinions before finalizing it.”

Addressing the gathering during the inaugural function, Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh said that the Government of Meghalaya envisages that the implementation of the Meghalaya Mushroom Mission aims to scale up mushroom production in a mission mode to exploit the full potential of the sector and also bring about economic prosperity and livelihood security to the mushroom farming community of the State. The Minister further urged the mushroom farmers to participate keenly in the workshop to upscale their knowledge and skill in Mushroom Cultivation.

Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary and Agriculture Production Commissioner, K N Kumar informed that with just about 15 per cent of the geographical area under cultivation growing mushrooms and marketing them is a lucrative option available to the people. He informed that the aim of having the festival is to create awareness about mushroom cultivation as an alternate income generating activity as well as an activity that can be integrated into the farm business to enhance farm income. He further added that mushroom cultivation has the potential to address the nutritional concerns of the State in terms of protein and vitamin deficiencies. He also stated that the cultivation of mushroom is environmentally sustainable and requires a small land mass. Its cultivation and production do not require intensive labour therefore making it suitable farming activity for the womenfolk. It can be taken up during the lean season also when temperatures are suitable for mushroom cultivation, he added.

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