Kalimpong, Jan. 21: The three-day training programme organised by the Centre for Cooperative Management to teach self-help groups the nuances of mushroom cultivation ended today.

“We are training self-help groups formed under the co-operative. Members from around 30 self-help groups participated in this workshop. Each group was given a one-day training which consisted of theoretical and practical classes,” said Shipra Dasgupta, the principal of the centre.

This event was sponsored by the Nabard and the training was imparted by the Eastern Agro Cooperative Society, which does research on mushrooms.

“Mushroom cultivation is a good occupation for self-help groups because it is easy and not time consuming. One only has to devote three or four hours each day,” said Samir Jana, director of the cooperative society.

“The weather in Kalimpong is conducive to mushroom cultivation all year round,” he added.

The spawn (seeds) of the mushroom will be provided to the self-help groups at subsidised rates. “We give away the spawn for Rs 50 while the going market rate is Rs 75,” said Barison Chakravorty, secretary of the cooperative society.

A follow-up programme will be conducted after around two weeks.

“The follow-up programmes will be held to get an idea about the problems that the participants are facing in the initial stages,” Chakravorty said.

Speaking about the response generated by the training programme, Dasgupta said: “The enthusiasm shown by the people was overwhelming. More than 100 people attended the workshop and we were swamped with enquires about similar programmes that we might hold in the future.”

“We did not have the capacity to accommodate more people this time but the response generated has prompted the Eastern Agro Cooperative Society to contemplate holding similar programmes for the benefit of more people in future.” said Dasgupta.