For successive days, sufficient rainfall promotes the peak production period of wild mushrooms in Yunnan Province of China.

A few days ago, a giant Ganoderma showed its emergence in Kaiyuan City, Yunnan Province of China.

“Bottom of the giant staff is 44 cm in length and it is 24cm in height, diameter of its waist and cap respectively reaches up to 42cm and 16cm,” introduces Mr. Li, forager of the Bolete excitedly.

Over the years, Africans have been showing special preference to canned food. Affected by the convenience and long shelf life, market of canned food leads rapid development momentum in Africa.

According to analysis from China-Africa Trade Research Center, in recent years, canned food products keep on gushing into African market from China, of which Shiitake can is the STAR product in Algerian canned market.

Now, there are a wide range of mushroom cans for preference of African customers, including Grey and White Oyster mushroom, King oyster mushroom, Monkey head mushroom, Enoki and so on, referring to Original, Salted and Vinegared flavor.

China’s canned mushroom products launched into Africa in an early time, as a result, they currently occupy 70% of market share in Algeria while holding prominent advantage in the market of South Africa.
 

Over the years, Juancheng County, Shandong Province of China insists on highlighting economical resource, standardized production, chain-mode industry and high-end oriented products by relying on abundant local organic raw materials and labor power. And, through the formation of standardized mushroom production, large-scale strain breeding and high-efficiency circulation of mushroom residues, R&D and export of products, mushroom industry is in vigorous promotion.

During the course of mushroom production, Juancheng County powerfully extends bag-mode technology that highlights White fungus, local agricultural science and technology sector is in charge of scientific mushroom research, promotion, production technology and other services.

Now, mushrooms cultivated in Juancheng County cover Oyster, Drumstick, Button mushroom and other varieties, since 2017, local growers have been vigorously encouraged to launch into Auricularia polytricha growing with the resource superiorities of corncob and sawdust. By 2017, 1000 Auricularia polytricha greenhouses and 200 Black fungus sheds have been built within Juancheng County. In addition, in 2017, the county’s gross mushroom output came to 12,800 tons, of which Auricularia polytricha occupied 12,000 tons, Black fungus took up 200 tons, Oyster and other varieties held 600 tons, gross output value hit 18,360 CNY.

Recently, giant Ganoderma which holds the diameter of 1.05 meters and the weight of 10 kg or so was surprisingly found in Baoshan City, Yunnan Province of China.

“It is as huge as an umbrella and is regarded as a mascot in the city,” introduces forager of the Ganoderma excitedly.

Now, there are above 200 kinds of Ganoderma spreading all over the world. Yunnan Province of China was born with sufficient sunlight, fertile soil, dense forest coverage and mild climate, which immensely promotes the growth of wild fungi from every June to July. The richness on variety of wild fungi is marvelously impressive within the province.

On July 16, in mushroom workshop operated by Qinghai Honghui Biotechnology Co., LTD, King oyster mushrooms are showing good growth status in bottles, which indicates a scene of full vitality.

Mushroom industry highlights short, adaptable and fast characteristic while revealing a circular and ecological direction, with the addition of unique production pattern, mushroom growing becomes the project which promotes local poverty alleviation. Aiming at bringing more prominent economic incomes for growers, Honghui Company launched into large-scale mushroom growing such as Bears’s paw mushroom and Panus gigianteus in early 2018 in Ledu District, Haidong City, Qinghai Province of China. After years of development, 141 million CNY of investment has been input while over 7466 poor households totalling 26,287 population have been supported to take off the hat of poverty through mushroom industry.

During 15-16, June, Anhui Comprehensive Straw Utilization Expo was smoothly held in Anhui Hefei Binhu International Convention and Exhibition Center. During the expo, a giant Ganoderma whose diameter reaches 1.2 meters aroused a lot of encirclements in front of the booth displayed by Anhui Tiandu Ganoderma Products Company.

“The Ganoderma was cultivated by straws, it is the largest Ganoderma in China and values millions of CNY. In addition to that, we also show up Bamboo fungus, Monkey head mushroom (Hericium), Cordyceps sinensis and other high-end varieties during expo time,” introduces principal from Anhui Tiandu Ganoderma Products Company passionately.

Anhui is the main province on aspect of agriculture and grain production, the province holds abundant nutrition on agricultural straws and annual collective volume comes to 48 million tons or so. In 2017, comprehensive utilization rate on straw reached 87.3%, its industrialized utilization volume accounted for 27.59% of gross volume.

Comprehensive utilization of straw is the crucial measure which stimulates the green development of agriculture. Now, in China, annual output on forage-straw comes to 150 million tons, which equal to 40 million tons of feed grain by calculation of nutritional value, the measure relieves the stress on supplement of feed grain and land resources, and it also exploits a significant path for farmers to get jobs and generate profits.
 

On July 5, in production workshop of Zishan Mushroom Silicon Valley Industrial Garden, a series of works such as rinsing, disinfection, slicing and canning on production of mushroom cans are in fierce operation.

In 2012, Zishan Mushroom Industrial Garden was invested and built by Fujian Zishan Group Corporation which is known as Top Ten in China’s Canning Industry. Now, the garden occupies 500 mu of area, absorbs 158 mushroom houses and a workshop for processing of mushroom cans, and it mainly engages in industrialized (factory-mode) production of Button mushroom and deep-processing equipment.

“Production line of mushroom cans was put into operation in March, workshop for processing of mushroom cans holds 50 million CNY of gross investment, occupies 30 mu of area and it has newly increased 117 sets of production equipment by now. After the project is formally put into operation, the estimated annual output on mushroom cans and concentrated solution respectively comes to 15,000 tons and 500 tons, which contributes to the expected sales income of 240 million CNY,” introduces principal of  Zishan Mushroom Silicon Valley Industrial Garden passionately, adding that now, mushroom cans produced in Zishan Group occupy 70% of share in Japanese market of mushroom cans, the operation of production line also promotes an integrative development. In the future, the group is going to stimulate the industrial upgrading and optimization with the support of high and new technology, build the factory of organic fertilizer and constantly lift its core competitiveness.

Move over carrots and lettuce, the garden is no longer an exclusive place for neat rows of vegetables. North Spore, an urban mushroom farm in Westbrook, has been announced as the winner of Greenlight Maine Season 3. North Spore plans on using the $100,000 prize to increase their spawn (think ‘seed’ of a mushroom) production and get more people growing mushrooms in the garden.

Started in 2014 by three college friends, North Spore produces spawn, fresh mushrooms, medicinal mushroom products, and kits to get people growing mushrooms at home. While North Spore’s fresh mushrooms are often featured at restaurants in Portland and at farmers markets throughout Maine and Massachusetts, their winnings will be used to grow the mushroom spawn side of the business. The $100,000 will go towards new equipment to make spawn production more efficient and to expand their facility to increase production capacity.

Greenlight Maine is a collaboration between entrepreneurs and business leaders across the state of Maine and is designed to mentor and support small businesses. The business development program required each contestant to pitch their business plan to a panel of judges who provided feedback and advice. Earlier this month North Spore won $50,000 from the Gorham Savings Bank Launchpad competition and has now become the only company to win both business contests. Eliah Thanhauser, North Spore’s Co Founder who represented the company in both pitching competitions says, “This is an amazing windfall for us, this capital will go a long way in helping us bring mushroom growing to the masses” And this recognition is a great honor and a testament to how far we have come since our humble beginnings in a 500 square foot garage in Westbrook. I worked hard on preparing for these pitches, but it is still a little hard to believe we won both.”

Along with their new ability to produce more spawn for mushroom farms and home gardens, North Spore will be rolling out high quality educational videos. The videos will be a resource for everyone interested in mushroom cultivation including beginners attempting their first mushroom project and experienced farmers experimenting with a new mushroom species. North Spore has a vision for the future of home gardens and it includes fresh mushrooms in everyone’s backyard.

North Spore is an urban fungi farm in Westbrook, ME producing fresh mushrooms, mushroom spawn, and other mushroom products. For more information visit North Spore (source)