Jammu, Feb 05: Mushroom cultivation shall now be a round-the-year activity which previously was a short-duration crop, said Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department and Vice Chairman, J&K Advisory Board for Development of Kisans, Atal Dulloo, on Sunday.
While addressing the Kisan Sammelan at Talab Tiloo here, Atal Dulloo said, “Through these Kisan Sammelans, the department has succeeded in achieving visible progress in the agriculture field both qualitatively and quantitatively.”
He said under the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan, 26 pasteurized compost units, 10 spawn production laboratories and 72 compost units shall be established in J&K to boost the production of mushrooms.
The Kisan Sammelan was organized by the J&K Advisory Board for Development of Kisans in coordination with Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department at Kisan Bhawan, Talab Tiloo. Dulloo inaugurated the seminar in presence of Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu /SKUAST-Kashmir, Professor Nazir Ahmad Ganie.
The aim of Kisan Sammelan was to facilitate an exclusive interaction of progressive mushroom growers with officers of AP&FWD and allied sectors besides receiving feedback from the board members of the Jammu division about the government schemes and policies with a special focus on mushroom production, its scope and impending challenges as well. Apart from the board members, all heads of departments of agriculture, scientists from SKUAST-Jammu, and officers of AP&FWD were present on the occasion.
While addressing the participants, the ACS advised the farmers to avail full advantage of schemes available under the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan and National Horticulture Board.
Responding to the simplification of official procedures and requirements for availing subsidies, he informed that work on establishing an online dashboard by the Agriculture Production Department is under progress. This dashboard shall be an online portal where all schemes under Holistic Agriculture Development Plan and other Heads shall be available in a farmer-friendly manner, he said.
On the integration of poultry with mushroom cultivation, Dulloo asked the AP&FWD to establish compost units where the poultry waste and chicken manure can be utilized in mushroom production. He informed that training modules have been framed for the officers and officials and farmers as well to make them fully aware of Holistic Agriculture Development Plan for its implementation on the ground. He apprised that videos on the schemes, policies and successive stories of progressive farmers have also been made available on YouTube.
“2000 Khidmat Centres are also being established where such facilities for our farmers can be made available besides the information about inputs in agricultural activities like information about the use of fertilizers, pesticides and soil health is also being shared,” he informed.
Regarding skill development, the ACS said that a learning management system is being created under this program where the youths shall be trained on how to establish their start-ups and this system shall be in addition to our offline training programs.
Atal Dulloo asked the Secretary J&K Advisory Board for Development of Kisans to extend these Kisan Sammelans to the district and block levels so that more and more farmers can be joined through these platforms. He assured that the board members shall be involved in Monitoring committees for smooth and complete implementation of the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan.
VC SKUAST-Jammu/ SKUAST-Kashmir appreciated the efforts of the board for organizing such events which give an opportunity for farmers to use this platform for getting their problems and day-to-day drudgeries heard and simultaneously addressed.
He informed that under the Holistic Agricultural Development Policy, new horizons in Agriculture shall be exploited for which a budget of Rs 5000 crore has been approved by the government. “The export promotion of the produce has been initiated to scale up the business chains. More Agricultural products are being brought under GI tagging to make these products competitive in the International market,” he said.
He said that 2.5 lakh youths have been trained under skill development programs and that nine students from SKUAST-J and SKUAST-K have been sent to the USA by the department for an exposure tour.
The board also arranged lectures on best practices in mushroom cultivation during which two prominent scientists from ICAR-Mushroom Research Institute Solan, Himachal Pradesh delivered lectures to the mushroom growers virtually. Also, the scientists from SKUAST-Jammu and experts from AP&FWD shared their insights with the growers in mushroom cultivation.
• Rs 5,000 cr approved for exploiting new horizons in agriculture
• 2000 Khidmat Centres being established for farmers
• Kisan Sammelans to be extended to district, block levels
• Agri Deptt establishing online dashboard for all schemes
• More agricultural products being brought under GI tagging
• Learning management system being created under skill dev prog
• 2.5 lakh youths trained under skill development program
• Videos on schemes, policies, made available on YouTube
• 9 students from SKUAST-J, SKUAST-K sent to USA for exposure tour
