In a bid to provide the latest technology to the Mushroom growers across the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today approved to establish a Centre of excellence for the mushroom cultivation at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana. This step was aimed at giving further impetus to the state government’s ambitious program of agriculture diversification. A decision to this effect was taking by Mr. Badal during a meeting with the senior officers of the Agriculture department, experts from Punjab Agriculture University and the progressive mushroom growers of the state here at Chief Minister’s Office this morning. Taking part in the deliberations, the Chief Minister asked the Vice Chancellor of PAU to immediately submit the detailed project report in this regard so that the proposed centre of excellence could be set up at the earliest. He hoped the centre would cater to the needs of mushroom growers and primarily focus on the issues related to quality supply of mushroom seeds, marketing support, processing and the new technologies to save their crops from the vagaries of weather.
Conceding another demand of the mushroom growers, Mr. Badal decided to levy power tariff from the mushroom growers at par as being levied in the agriculture sector. He also assured full support and cooperation to such growers, who intended to have special power supply line for getting uninterrupted electricity. To make our mushroom growers conversant with the emerging technologies in this field, the Chief Minister asked the Additional Chief Secretary Development to send a delegation of local mushroom growers to China, the only country in the world which catered to almost 80% of total mushroom production at global level. He said our farmers were very receptive to the new and the latest technologies to enhance their income provided they were imparted the requisite knowledge and expertise by the researchers from time to time.
Badal also directed the VC to set up a modern demonstration plant for mushroom cultivation at PAU so as to educate the farmers to establish their own units on the scientific lines. Addressing the issue of scarce supply of mushroom seeds, the Chief Minister asked the PAU to tie up with the Krishi Vigyan Kendras in the state to ensure the high quality seeds to the mushroom growers. The Chief Minister also asked Dr. Manjit Singh, Ex-Director, Directorate of Mushroom Research, Solan (HP) to provide latest know-how and technology to the PAU to carry forward this project to popularize the concept of mushroom cultivation in a big way. Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Agriculture Minister Jathedar Tota Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Development Mr. Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. S.K. Sandhu, Vice Chancellor of PAU Dr. B.S. Dhillon and MD Punjab Agro Mr. K.S. Pannu.