Task forces formed to promote mushroom farming in Malda dist

malda: The district administration of Malda has constituted two task forces to promote mushroom farming and its marketing. A meeting involving specialists and scientists, as well as district administration officials, was recently held regarding this.

In order to propel the process, a team of mushroom cultivators has already been sent to Rampurhat in Birbhum for training other farmers. Self-Help Groups (SHG) are being selected to engage in the farming process. In addition, hotel owners’ associations in different districts are being approached to purchase the full-grown mushrooms for marketing.

During a recent administrative meeting in Malda, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her intention to expand mushroom cultivation.

Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate of Malda, said: “ We are taking various measures to promote mushroom cultivation in the district as per the direction of the Chief Minister. We had a meeting on the matter with the concerned department and experts recently. The farmers will be given training shortly. Two task forces, one to promote cultivation and the other for marketing of mushrooms, have been formed already.”

Scientists from Ratua Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) with one scientist from Viswa Bharati will be in the task force to train, advise and assist the farmers during the whole cultivation process.

The other task force comprising the general manager of the District Industrial Centre (DIC), the trader’s association, and officials from the district Minority Affairs department will handle the marketing of the produce.

Ujjal Saha, president of Malda Mango Merchants Association, said: “Mushrooms are extremely nutritious and inexpensive to produce.”

“Farmers may make a lot of money through farming them. We will assist in whatever way we can to promote this farming,” he added.