A group of youths from Nalbari district of Assam have come forward to cultivate mushrooms scientifically after being encouraged by the growing demand of the commodity in the international market, especially Bhutanese market.
Due to the high protein content of the mushrooms grown in Nalbari, they have a huge demand among consumers.
Nalbari Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) trained up two youths at the Directorate of Mushroom Research in Himachal Pradesh in 2015, reports The Assam Tribune.
Among the two youths, one youth named Tapan Dutta Baruah of Kendekuchi village started mushroom cultivation commercially.
Baruah has encouraged youths of villages of Nalbari district to start mushroom cultivation.
Nalbari KVK also sent two batches of farmers for training to Himachal Pradesh again in 2017.
At present, around 200 farmers of Nalbari district are engaged in mushroom cultivation.
Some of the successful mushroom farmers include former chairperson of Nalbari Zila Parishad Bitumani Devi, Hemanta Nath of Barjhar,Upananda Das of Piplibari, Dali Rani Haloi and Bipul Haloi of Banekuchi, Dipak Deka of Bargasa,Bipul Talukdar of Banekuchi.
The farmers are not only earning profit simply from mushroom but also from the mushroom-based products.
The mushroom farmers have now demanded help from the state government to attract more youths towards mushroom cultivation.