Director Agriculture Kashmir, Sartaj Ahmad Shah, today visited the Integrated Mushroom Development Centre (IMDC) at Lalmandi, Srinagar, to review its operations and ongoing initiatives aimed at promoting mushroom cultivation across the Kashmir division.

During the visit, the Director took a detailed round of the centre's key sections, including the Spawn Production Centre, Pasteurized Compost Unit, Mushroom Research Laboratory, and other facilities. He interacted extensively with officers, scientists, and technical staff to assess the centre's functioning, production capacities, and support extended to mushroom growers.

The IMDC serves as a crucial hub for providing high-quality spawn, compost, and technical guidance to farmers, bridging the gap between research and practical application in mushroom farming. 

Highlighting the vast potential of mushroom cultivation in the Valley, the Director emphasized that Kashmir’s favourable agro-climatic conditions make it ideally suited for commercial mushroom production and highlighted its role in enhancing farmers' income, promoting agri-entrepreneurship, generating employment opportunities, and contributing to nutritional security.

Speaking on the occasion, the Director said, "Mushroom cultivation holds tremendous promise for the farming community in Kashmir. The Integrated Mushroom Development Centre is playing a pivotal role as a vital link between growers and the Department of Agriculture. We are committed to introducing modern technologies, ensuring availability of quality inputs, and commercializing this high-value crop to improve the socio-economic status of our farmers."

He directed the officers to intensify awareness campaigns among farmers about the benefits of mushroom farming, expand capacity-building programs, and strengthen market linkages for better returns. The visit underscores the Department's ongoing efforts under various schemes to boost scientific mushroom production and support progressive growers in the region.

Joint Director Agriculture Inputs and Joint Director Mushroom were also present on the occasion.