An Economics graduate from North Kashmir's Kupwara district, who quit his job two years back in search of an innovative source of income that could make him financially sound, has now become an owner to a mushroom cultivation farm.
After completing a Masters Degree in Economics from Dehradun in 2018, Nisar Ahmad Ganie (27) moved back to Kashmir to support his family. He joined a private school as a teacher in July 2018 at Kulangam Handwara but he realized soon that this job could not fulfil the financial needs of his family.
Speaking to ANI, Nisar said that to support his family, he quit the job and decided to do something innovative that could make him financially sound.
"I quit the job and decided to do something innovative to help my family. In 2019, I attended a mushroom cultivation awareness programme organized by the agriculture department at my village Bramri Kupwara," he said
After a three-month training course, the agricultural department Kupwara encouraged him for a mushroom cultivation unit for which he was offered the required stuff free of cost.
"Agricultural department encouraged me to go for a mushroom cultivation unit for which I was offered the required stuff free of cost. I took the initiative and started with a single unit in 2019," he said
"I harvested a good amount of mushrooms only after the passage of 40 days. During the first season of my work, I was able to harvest more than 2 quintal crops. I earned a handsome amount out of my first crop which encouraged me to continue with the cultivation of mushrooms," he added.
Soon after the success of the first cultivation, Nisar approached the agriculture department for more units.
"I approached the agriculture department soon after the success of the first crop, for which they did offer me without any reluctance and presently I do harvest more than 5 quintals of mushroom from both units," he said.
Nisar intends to expand from two units to more than five for which he has constructed separate four rooms in his courtyard.
The officers of the Agriculture Department is providing him with all possible help to establish a full-fledged mushroom unit.
Ghulam Nabi, Chief agriculture officer Kupwara, said the mushroom cultivation can be done easily at home with limited space also.
"Nisar Ahmad who came to us is a very talented guy, initial we provided him with limited stuff but he succeed in growing mushroom cultivation very well on the first attempt only," Nabi said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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