ICAR celebrates Natl Mushroom Day
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 29 2017: ICAR, Manipur Centre celebrated the National Mushroom Day on the theme 'Mushroom Cultivation for Wealth from Waste' at its premises at Lamphelpat today.

The programme was inaugurated by K Kipgen, Director, Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Govt of Manipur as chief guest and K Jogeshchandra Sharma, Officer In-Charge, MIDH as president.

40 mushroom growers and entrepreneurs participated in the occasion wherein they deliberated on the theme with due emphasis on how to convert crop residues to nutritious food and also earn a substantial income through mushroom cultivation.

An exhibition was arranged to encourage and motivate upcoming mushroom growers.

A large number of farmers from the hill and valley areas of the State were trained on mushroom cultivation.

In his speech, K Kipgen assured that to meet the requirement of quality mushroom spawn by the growers, efforts will be made to develop mushroom spawn production unit under existing KVKs.

On this occasion, Dr I Meghachandra Singh, Joint Director; Dr Ch Basudha Devi, Senior Scientist and N Arunkumar Singh highlighted the increasing importance of mushroom as a health food suitable for all age groups.

All the exhibitors were given certificate of participation while Temperate Mushroom Centre, Sangaiprou, Patsoi Farmers Club (Lou Mee Lup) and Shileima Self Help Group, Wangoi were adjudged first, second and third in the exhibition of mushroom and value added products.

Mushroom cultivation is a way to mitigate climate change by producing nutritious food from agricultural waste thereby managing crop residues while earning a good income at the same time.

ICAR Manipur Centre has made enormous contributions in the area of mushroom research and popularization.

ICAR has developed a new technology of shortening the cultivation period of medicinal shiitake mushroom from 365 days to 90 days on saw dust based substrate and also on button mushroom.

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