Director Agriculture Kashmir inspects Mushroom Cluster under TSP at Khimber

Srinagar: The Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal today inspected a mushroom cluster unit having 1700 bags and established under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) at Khimber here.

The Director on the occasion said that establishing such clusters will provide a dignified livelihood to the interested mushroom growers, for which the Department is committed in devising a composite strategy for the development and promotion of mushroom sector to ensure long term sustainable livelihood.

He said the Department is committed to devise a future strategy which could be inclusive, composite and multi-dimensional and shall meet all the requirements in terms of jobs and entrepreneurship.

Iqbal directed the Chief Agriculture Officer Srinagar to provide all technical as well as logistic support to the growers and entrepreneurs for establishing mushroom units.

While interacting with the farmers of the area he said mushroom production has a huge potential to improve the socio economic status of small and marginal farmers and thus asked them to be in touch with officers of the scheme so that they can develop their mushroom units on scientific lines to get a healthy crop.

On spot directions were passed to the officers to adopt Khimber area as mushroom village so that more and more farmers are roped in to adopt mushroom cultivation as a full or part time activity.

On the occasion, Chief Agriculture Officer Srinagar Mohammad Younis Chowdhary apprised the Director that there has been substantially better production of mushrooms in this cluster.

Later, the Director also inspected Borewell under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Seenchayee Yojana (PMKSY) at Khimber.

The Director during the visit was accompanied by Chief Agriculture Officer Srinagar Mohammad Younis Chowdhary, Mushroom Development Officer Srinagar, Assistant Soil Conservation Officer Srinagar, Chief Technical Officer and other concerned Officers and Officials.