Centre for Mushroom Research and Training - CSK Himachal

Centre for Mushroom Research and Training Department of Plant Pathology, CSKHPKV, Palampur

Mushroom Centre

Training in progress Trainees on concluding day

New strain of oyster mushroom A progressive women grower

Trainees from Lahaul Valley Hands on training to students

White Button Mushroom Demonstration of pickling

Visit of Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor Visit of Hon’ble Agri.Secretary

About the Centre:

As a result of the efforts of the scientists of CSK HPKV, mushroom cultivation is

becoming increasingly popular. It has largely been possible due to continuous training

programme and establishment of a modern Mushroom Spawn Laboratory at CSK HPKV,

Palampur. Recently the university has created a Centre for Mushroom Research and

Training which now has the facilities of imparting training in mushroom growing, spawn

and compost production and cropping rooms for growing mushrooms. These facilities will go

a long way in strengthening the mushroom production which can assume the shape of

commercial as well as domestic industry in this part of the state.

Training of Human Resource:

There is an urgent need to train people in mushroom production so that they are able to

take up this venture on commercial basis for self employment and also as a family enterprise.

The university has well-established technology on mushroom cultivation and continuously

refining it. The university is regularly organizing training camps. As many as 2100 persons

have been given training in Mushroom Cultivation. Of these, more than 600 are registered

growers and around 250 are effectively involved in this activity. Through Experiential

learning/Hands on training, the passing out Agricultural graduates are being

empowered with the necessary entrepreneurial skills to set up mushroom growing units

as a self employment activity. The trained personnel are being guided to set up their own

mushroom production unit. Subsequently, the growers are motivated to organize themselves

in mushroom growers groups /societies /self help groups so that they are able to tackle

various problems on collective basis. A constant rapport is maintained with the growers for

monitoring the production pattern and guidance in management and marketing. This effort

apart from a source of supplementing the income of the families will also generate

employment for a large number of people of the area. This centre will go a long way in

spreading this venture, which is bound to pay rich dividends.

Spawn Production:

The centre has a Modern Mushroom Spawn Laboratory and quality spawn of three

cultivated species viz. Button mushroom, Oyster mushroom and Milky mushroom is

being made available to the growers of the area. As a result of regular training programme

and availability of inputs in the form of spawn etc., there has been increased interest in the

production of mushrooms in the area. During the year 2002-03, 2505 kg of mushroom spawn

was made available to the growers whereas during 2008-09, 6000 kg of spawn was sold to

the farmers.

Compost Production

A Pasteurized Compost Unit has also been established at this centre which has the capacity to

produce about 230-240 tons of ‘ready to spawn compost’ in a year. It will enable the

university to produce 20-22 tons ‘ready to spawn compost’ in one lot, within a period of 20-

22 days. About 10-12 such lots will be prepared in a year. The compost produced at the Unit

will be sold to potential trained growers and would yield 35-40 tons of fresh mushrooms at

the growers’ level.

Mushroom Growing

The centre has two cropping rooms with complete environment control facility and

capacity to hold 20 tons compost for growing white button mushroom. This facility

will enable us to produce fresh mushrooms throughout the year and also conducting

research on various aspects.

Objectives

The proposed centre aims at fulfilling the following goals and objectives.

Refinement in mushroom cultivation technology

To enhance the entrepreneurial skills of Agricultural graduates and impart

hands on/Experiential training

To impart vocational training to the prospective growers; and to provide

forward and backward linkages by extending technical knowledge and

guidance.

Expected Output

The activities through this centre will promote mushroom cultivation among Agricultural

graduates, unemployed youth and farm folks as an important agro-based enterprise, will

help in self employment and boost the cultivation in different areas of the state, thereby

improving the living standard of marginal farmers/landless workers particularly farm

women as well as act as a source of rural employment to the educated but unemployed

youth.