Arunachal farmers trained in oyster and shiitake mushroom farming

Itanagar: Fifty-four farmers gathered in Jemeithang for a one-day course on oyster and shiitake mushroom production. The workshop sought to spark new income streams for local growers and members of various Self-Help Groups. Officials hope these skills improve nutritional security and fuel economic growth across the area.

District Horticulture Officer Koncho Gyatso led the hands-on oyster mushroom session. He walked the group through every stage of the process: substrate prep, spawning, harvest, and storage. Gyatso called the oyster mushroom a "low-investment, short-duration crop with high returns," pushing participants to use the harvest to bolster their household budgets.

Tenzin Yangzom, a coordinator with the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission, handled the technical side of shiitake production. She focused on environmental needs and the high market value of the premium crop. Yangzom told members of the groups to treat mushroom farming as a joint enterprise to better secure their financial futures.

The event ended with a Q and A session regarding disease control and marketing. Organizers handed out starter kits to every attendee, including poly bags, paddy straw, and oyster spawn. Farmers left the site ready to launch their own operations in their home villages.