Get richer the organic mushroom way

Sanjeev Kochhar / TNN / Feb 1, 2006, 02:42 IST

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It was a small and tentative step towards educating the mushroom growers of Haryana.

CHANDIGARH: It was a small and tentative step towards educating the mushroom growers of Haryana, the third largest producer of the new generation vegetable after Maharashtra and Gujarat, on the demands and requirements of the domestic and export market so that they are able to improve the quality and strike the best bargain for their produce.
Most of the 15-odd major buyers and exporters from across the country who had confirmed their participation in the first ever buyer-seller meet on mushroom, organised jointly by the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) and the state horticulture department, at Rai in Sonepat district, near Delhi, failed to turn up.
But four-five who participated, alongwith experts from the National Horticulture Board and the National Research Centre for Mushroom at Solan, gave valuable tips to the 150-odd farmers on what is required of them.
Organic mushrooms are a hit in the international markets, an exporter of mushrooms from Baroda in Gujarat told the farmers, who were also made aware of the need for post harvest care, grading, packaging and marketing of their produce.

Need to have cool chains was also stressed. A company showcased its cool chambers which can be installed even in the smallest farms.
The organisers explored the possibility of the National Horticulture Board providing subsidy to the mushroom farmers in the installation of cool chambers. Experts gave presentations to the farmers on techniques to tackle various diseases inflicting the crop.
It was observed in the meeting that the cultivation of mushroom was slowly spreading out from the traditional Sonipat, Gurgaon, Panipat belt to the interiors of the state like Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Jind to provide subsidy.

HSAMB chief administrator Navraj Sandhu told The Times of India that taking of from the buyer-seller meet, they would now take the mushroom growers from the state to the major Food Expo to be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi in February, to carry forward the dialogue with the food processing units which will put up their exhibits.
To make participation more convenient for the buyers and exporters of mushrooms, the next buyer-seller meet might also be held in New Delhi, she added.

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