DHADING: With the increasing demand for locally produced mushrooms in the market, women of Nilkantha Municipality-12 in Dhading district have collectively started commercial mushroom farming. The women associated with Sangkosh Women Agriculture Cooperative started commercial farming after receiving mushroom farming-related training from the Agricultural Knowledge Centre, Dhading. The group has built tunnel farms in two locations — Damgade and Aangetari — with 280 poles built in the Aangetari alone. Mushroom produced through an organic process is being sold at Rs 200 per kilograms in the local market. The high demand and easy market for mushrooms, cultivated in less investment, has made the women enthusiastic towards mushroom farming. According to Pampa Nepali, chair of the cooperative, the mushroom farming was started to make the members associated with it independent and self-reliant through commercial farming. Nilkantha Municipality has also lent some support to the mushroom farming, said the women. (Translated by Sandeep Sen; Edited by Priyanka Adhikari)