Mushrooms in AJK

Oyster Mushrooms are now cultivated in Muzaffarabd AJK

2:Introduction:

Mushroom is an edible fungi and are considered the world over one of the best form of food due to nutritional and medicinal value. It is delicious as well as nutritious and complete balanced diet, having the organic substance in 112 edible fungi has 25% protein content, 8% Lipids(unsaturated fatty acids), 60% carbohydrate (including 52% polysaccharide and 8% vitamin) and 7% ash content on average.

The State of Azad Jummu & Kashmir  provides  congenial Agro-climatic conditions  with different Agro Ecological zones as well as market advantages  for the production of mushroom, valuable cash crop that can be cultivated and will remain in market through out the year in whole AJK. This crop can be easily grown in houses/huts, sheds. It can play important role to improve the living standard of farming community by increasing per capita income of low income groups of AJK.

Recognizing the easy cultivation methodology, its dietary and medicinal value of Mushroom, the AJK Government launched a Project “Mushroom Culture Research & Development in AJK” In this project, a  well equipped Mushroom Bio Technology Laboratory was established at Muzaafrabad for the production of spawn and maintenance of germplasm and efforts were made to transfer the production technology of mushroom crop among the communities.. The basic studies of Mushroom in AJK have been carried out. And the community members of are introduced and mobilized through training for Mushroom   cultivation in AJK. The communities have shown vast interest in mushroom cultivation

Over major Goal of the project is

·         Demonstration of Technical packages evolved at Mushroom bio-Tech Lab MZD for community adoption through Agri. Extension.

·         Promoting awareness among communities about nutrition value of Mushroom

·         Providing cost benefits of Mushroom Cultivation.

This resource center irregularly holds training workshops for staff and local farmers in mass production, harvesting and preservation techniques. Bioactivity assays is being carried out to identify the best species for mass cultivation purposes in south AJK. Mass cultivation technology of those species, founded in AJK, and are being raised throughout tissue culture, spore culture etc. Technology transferred to local farmer to upgrade the farmer economy of our rural sector.

Project objectives:

                       

1.            To introduce mushroom culture at grass root level on participatory basis through training and demonstration.

2.            Maintenance of mushroom strains spawn and growth media for continuous supply of mushroom spawn to the interested community members.

3.            To diversify farmers family income by landless farming.

S.no	Name	Address	Ph No	No of Bags prepared
1.	Master Riaz Awan	Saina Panyali, Bugna MZD		298
2	Hajra Bibi	----Do----		132
3	M. Ilyas	----Do----		30
4	Mehtar Din	----Do---		25
5	Skeena Bibi	---Do---		30
6	Mehtar Din	---Do---		25
	Amjad Qayoom	---Do--		52
7	Mr Ayube	MZD		1100
	Imran Ahmad	---Do---		27
8	Raja Mumtaz	Kherabad MZD		60
9	Syed Naib Shah	Malsi Gari Dopatta		50
10	Raja Aziz	Darbang, Danna (Community)		100
11	Nargis Bibi	Plung Attmaqa		500
12	Naseema Begum	Do		300
13	Shugufta altaf	Attmaqam		300
14	Raja Amir	Do		600
15	Rubina	Kundle Shahi		400
16	Namotar Conunity	Danna MZD		2400