Tremella mushroom cultivation in Gutian, SE China's Fujian, contributes to global development

In the mid-20th century, the tremella mushroom, known as the "king of fungi," was a rare delicacy. In just over 50 years, it has become a popular item on people's tables thanks to the county of Gutian in Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province.

The first Tremella Industry Development Conference was recently held in Gutian, offering a glimpse into the development of the agricultural industrial chain in Gutian and China's contributions to global development.

Gutian has witnessed its residents thriving as a result of tremella mushroom cultivation. Farmers in the county have achieved the highest per capita disposable income in Ningde for 20 consecutive years, starting from scratch in the newly cultivated mountainous fields.

Photo shows a village in Gutian county, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Liu Mingge)

Gutian's tremella mushroom production surged from less than 1 tonne in 1976 to 219 tonnes in 1982, marking an impressive increase of over 200 times.

Photo shows tremella mushrooms in Gutian county, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Weiyi)

Expert Yao Shuxian has been instrumental in revolutionizing the cultivation of tremella mushrooms in Gutian. As head of the Gutian Edible Fungi Research Institute, Yao's work in developing high-yield tremella mushroom cultivation technology earned him an international gold award in 1994.

According to Yao, Gutian is the only place in the country with the large-scale cultivation of tremella mushrooms. Today, Gutian accounts for over 90 percent of national tremella mushroom production.

Gutian is the most comprehensive edible mushroom production base in China. (Photo/Chen Xiuyu)

Gutian has achieved breakthroughs in the artificial cultivation of tremella mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo fungi, and others, forming a development pattern where 50 percent of agricultural loans are used for the edible mushroom industry, 60 percent of farmers' income comes from the industry, 70 percent of the agricultural population is engaged in the industry, and 80 percent of agricultural output value comes from the industry.

A farmer checks on the growth of tremella mushrooms in a greenhouse in Gutian county, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (People's Daily Online/Huang Dongyi)

In 2001, farmers in Fengpu township of Gutian developed steam sterilization and drying technology for tremella mushroom cultivation. In 2002, Gutian started to build high-standard edible mushroom cultivation facilities.

Photo shows tremella mushroom cultivation facilities in Gutian county, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Wang Xiabing)

Gutian is currently China's top producer of tremella mushrooms and offers a wide variety of edible mushrooms. The annual turnover of the Gutian Edible Mushroom Wholesale Market surpasses 600 million yuan (about $82.61 million), with over 400 e-commerce companies and more than 2,700 e-commerce stores in the county.

Photo shows tremella mushroom products during a tremella mushroom exhibition and sales fair held in 2024 in Gutian, Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Weiyi)

Around 72 percent of the 592 poverty-stricken counties in China were involved in the edible mushroom industry, said Li Yu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the International Society of Medicinal Mushrooms, during the first Tremella Industry Development Conference. Li highlighted the increasing importance of edible mushrooms in food security.

Li Yu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the International Society of Medicinal Mushrooms, speaks during the first Tremella Industry Development Conference. (People's Daily Online/Li Weiyi)

Since 2000, Gutian has been training edible mushroom technicians for developing countries. The annual training class on edible mushroom technology for developing countries offered by Gutian has welcomed organizations from over 30 countries and regions worldwide for training and visits. To date, over 700 trainees have benefited from this program.

The edible mushroom marketing network in Gutian now covers the entire country and has expanded to tens of countries and regions including Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Photo shows a tremella mushroom. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Gutian)

Photo shows the Certificate Presentation for the First Group of Participants in the International Training Program on Edible Fungi Cultivation Technology and Sustainable Agriculture, held during the first Tremella Industry Development Conference. (People's Daily Online/Li Weiyi)

"China has long been promoting South-South cooperation, sharing its development experiences and technology to help other countries combat poverty. Gutian serves as a valuable model in this endeavor," said Wu Zhong, director-general of the Finance Center for South-South Cooperation.