Tariff on the pattern of AP High Density farming. He also ordered that any mushroom grower who was interested in having direct hotline, he could get it installed at his own expense. Activities like composting, spawning and production would also be included in the mushroom cultivation for availing this benefit, said Mr. Badal.
It was also decided to give subsidy on the compost to enhance the profitability of mushroom growers. As per the decision, under first phase 1000 mushroom cultivators would be covered and given 40% subsidy with a cap of minimum 200 bags and maximum 1200 bags (10 kg compost per bag). It was estimated that expenditure to the tune of Rs.4 crore would be meted out from the plan schemes of RKVY, Mandi Board and Rural Development Fund. The Chief Minister asked both the Additional Chief Secretary (Development) and Director Horticulture to work out modalities in this regard.
The Chief Minister also directed the Additional Chief
Secretary (Development) to prepare a revised proposal to set up a Centre of Excellence in Mushroom cultivation at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana. The upcoming centre would be equipped with the state-of-the-art laboratory to undertake research in hi-tech compost, casing and spawning. Mr. Badal desired that the requisite equipment of latest technology should be installed at the Centre and these should be manufactured locally for supplying to the mushroom growers at affordable rates, at the later stage. He also asked the Vice Chancellor PAU to start short-term courses of three months on quality production of mushrooms to enhance the profitability of the mushroom cultivators in the state.
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The Chief Minister also gave approval to send a joint delegation of mushroom growers, experts from PAU and officers of state horticulture department to China and Netherland to acquire latest technical know-how regarding quality production and to bring the best quality of spawn canning to the state.
The Chief Minister asked all the agencies involved to boost the development of mushroom in the state to implement these decisions at the earliest so that the tremendous potential of mushroom growers could be exploited to full extent in heralding another revolution in terms of mushroom cultivation.
The Chief Minister said that with the unbounded capacities and capabilities our mushroom growers can script another success story in the state agrarian economy.
Photo Caption: To include a special scheme on mushroom cultivation in the state annual plan 2016-17
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