Bareilly: The Department of Plant Science at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, in collaboration with GFE Enterprises, organized mushroom cultivation training camps for farmers in Rajpura Mafi village of Bithri Chainpur and Pardhauli village of Bhojipura.
The initiative was conducted under the guidance of Vice-Chancellor K. P. Singh, with the aim of promoting self-employment among rural communities. Associate Professor, mushroom expert, and trainer Vijay Kumar Sinhal led the sessions, providing hands-on training in oyster mushroom cultivation.
Local residents Pushpendra from Rajpura Mafi and Sanjeev and Rajkumar from Pardhauli played a key role in mobilizing farmers for the programme. District Commandant Rajmani Singh attended as the chief guest and also informed villagers about various welfare schemes of the Government of India.
During the training, Dr. Sinhal explained the growing market demand for Oyster Mushroom and its value-added products. He highlighted that oyster mushrooms are currently selling at ₹120–150 per kilogram in vegetable markets, while the production cost remains as low as ₹10–15 per kilogram, making it a highly profitable venture for farmers.
He also noted that efforts over the past eight years have significantly improved market access, with several companies, including GFE Enterprises, coming forward to procure the produce. Farmers were assured that their cultivated mushrooms would be purchased, ensuring a stable income source.
As part of the training, participants prepared oyster mushroom cultivation bags, which were distributed free of cost through local teacher Krishan Pal to encourage adoption. Around 200 farmers from both villages attended the camps.
The initiative is expected to boost rural livelihoods by promoting sustainable and low-cost agricultural entrepreneurship.
Reported by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena from Bareilly.
