A young farmer named Pawan Kumar in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir has become a role model for the unemployed and non-educated youths by starting a purely-organic Mushroom cultivation farm in the Bagnoti village.
He is like many youths in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir who have started their own businesses in the field of agriculture through Central government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) in far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
While speaking to ANI, Kumar said that he first started the work of poultry rearing and later also took up the work of growing mushrooms. Whatever compost is left is used for growing other vegetables as well.
"We started the work of poultry rearing first then we took up the work of growing mushrooms as well. We also use our compost for growing vegetables too," he said.
Mushroom is a cash crop and a profitable business option. Kumar provides employment to 15 to 20 other people through his business.
His uncle said while talking to ANI, "He is a post-graduate unemployed youth. He took up this business because of poor financial conditions at home. Youth today have digital literacy. They can make use of social media to learn whatever they want and use their time more productively. Family supports him as much they can, the agriculture department here also helps him out a lot."
Another official named Karan said that Kumar prepares his compost by himself and is working on a big scale by employing 15-20 people.
"He wants to be known by all and wants to provide jobs. He also grows garlic, spinach and mustard," he added.
Anita Sharma, Agriculture Officer, Nowshera said that Kumar is the biggest farmer of mushrooms in the region and he also grows wheat, mustard, strawberry and other vegetables.
She also said that the department is ready to provide any kind of support to Kumar.
"He has set an example. He wants to take this venture forward with 15-20 people who come here. One month goes in preparing the compost and the other in sales and marketing. However, Pawan says that since demand is high, marketing is not an issue," added Sharma.
( With inputs from ANI )
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