Our Correspondent
Imphal, Dec. 29 (EMN): The second edition of the National Mushroom Day which falls on Dec. 23 every year was celebrated at Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR), Manipur Centre on Dec. 29 Fri.
Director K Kipgen of State horticulture department was the chief guest of the formal inaugural function of the day.
Many scientists and officials of the ICAR Manipur centre and a number of mushroom farmers also attended the day’s observation.
Unlike the first edition, about 45 mushroom growers and producers from both hill and valley districts participated in the occasion and deliberated on the importance of mushrooms as quality food and the scope and potential of mushroom cultivation.
The horticulture director also expressed his desire to promote up-gradation of the mushroom cultivation besides instituting a new mushroom seeds unit considering the public demands.
In fact mushroom has no other important issues in the marketing sector. But the farmers usually faces the unavailability of mushroom seeds during its three seasons in a year.
Generally mushroom are cultivated in three seasons –Dec., June and Sept. and produces around 150 tonnes in a season, according to Dr Sushil Kumar Sharma of ICAR Manipur centre
Interestingly there are three mushroom species in Manipur. They are oyster, hshzygius and shiitake. Though the first two are widely cultivated in the region, shiitake variety which are endemic in Manipur and Nagaland is in the process of producing in bulk for commercial purposes.
“Earlier people used to cultivate this species using wood logs. But after our interventions, it can be cultivated using saw-dust etc,” said Dr Sushil. “Besides the duration of the cultivation period has also been shorten from one year to just three months.”
A small exhibition was also organised within the ICAR campus during the day’s observation which was held under the theme “Mushroom cultivation: wealth from waste.”
Paddy residue and other agricultural and horticultural waste were utilised for the successful cultivation of mushroom in the state. Demand of mushroom are on the rise considering its taste and nutritional values in the region.
