The Agriculture Department of Khyber tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has achieved encouraging results from mushroom cultivation in several areas. The areas where mushroom cultivation is being carried out successfully include Shahkas, Warmando Mela, Ghundi, Mullagori, and Gudar where the first crop is ready for harvest and sale in the market, according to information available with WealthPK. Director General of Agriculture for merged districts, Murad Ali Khan, and district director of Khyber, Ziaul Islam Dawar told the media that the experiment of cultivating mushroom crop in newly-merged tribal districts of KP remains successful as its first crop is ready for harvest that will soon be sold in the market.

Murad said a big quantity of mushrooms could be cultivated on a small piece of land that would greatly benefit the farmers of merged districts. For this purpose, he said, hundreds of local farmers have received necessary training. He said the moderate weather condition of the tribal belt, especially in Jamrud sub-division, is much apposite for the cultivation of mushrooms and arranging its final product for the sale. Field Assistant Naveed Khan Afridi said a mushroom farm has been established in Shahkas area of Jamrud under the Agriculture Transformation Plan for superfood mushroom cultivation. The structure of the mushrooms cultivated in Jamrud consists of pores, having a meat-like texture, adding that local people would soon receive benefits of its cultivation.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk