According to statistics from Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau of Hubei Province of China, from Jan to Oct, mushroom export of the province reached 977 million USD, with a year-on-year growth of 34%, which exceeded gross export value of all year in 2016 and manifested substantial growth after successive 3 years of low export ebb.

“Since this year, apart from stable and satisfactory Southeast Asian markets, markets of Seattle have been exploited while direct customs clearance of over 10 export containers was realized,” introduces general manager of Hubei Pinyuan Mushroom Co., LTD in excitement.

Mushroom is the largest agricultural product for export in Hubei Province of China, within the province, there are 200 mushroom processing enterprises and over 1.5 million people engaging in mushroom industry.

Recently, trial mushroom cultivation implemented in the first semi-industrial mushroom base of Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province of China realized its fruitful results, picking period has been maintained for nearly 20 days.

Through repeated visiting and investigation, principal of the base learned about the cultivation technology of industrialized mushroom. By building galvanized steel frames, installing humidifiers and exhaust fans, original refrigeration house was transformed into a semi-industrial mushroom base, and anniversary mushroom production could be achieved there through the adjustment on temperature, humidity and concentration of carbon dioxide.

“In equivalent production area, mushroom output came to 1.5kg per square feet within 15 days of trial cultivation period, which equals to the fruiting amount by traditional mode for 8 months totaling 240 days,” introduces principal of the base passionately, going on that this cultivation mode facilitates realizing labor saving, automatic adjustment of temperature and humidity on aspect of production technology, and it is a discovery and practice that promote the transformation and upgrading of local mushroom cultivation.

The promotion of semi-industrial mushroom cultivation will also provide a good break point for development bottlenecks that restrict local mushroom industry in aspect of labor shortage, low comprehensive benefit and seasonal production, and exploit a more scientific development road for local mushroom growers to increase revenues.

The Hessischer Pilztag took place on november 8th 2017 in Kerns in Switzerland. It was a very well-attended program with over more than 100 participants from 12 countries including of course many Germans, Swiss and Dutch, but also Spaniards and Israelis. In addition to interesting lectures, there was a company visit to ASN Kerns who gave a tour in the new substrate company where they make on a weekly basis a total of 250 tons of substrate for the various breeds.
Currently they produce about 100 tonnes of which 40% is proprietary in their own business to breed ecotic mushrooms and 60% is sold to third parties.

A file photo of the elfin saddle mushroom. Photo: Jerzy Opioła via Wikimedia Commons

A rare type of fungus which has not been spotted in the Netherlands for almost 30 years has re-emerged in a nature reserve in Twente, according to website Nature Today.

The hooded false morel or the elfin saddle (gyromitra infula) is known as a ‘bishop’s mitre’ in Dutch and has been on the national ‘highly endangered’ list since 2008.

It has a dark reddish-brown cap which develops its distinctive saddle or mitre shape as the mushroom reaches maturity.  The fungi usually grow on rotting wood or on hard packed ground and are toxic unless cooked.

There have been just 12 reports of the fungi in the Netherlands in the last 100 years. The most recent was 29 years ago in the south of Noord-Brabant, Nature Today said.

A few years ago, trial Gastrodia cultivation implemented in 500 mu of land obtained its success in Wenge Village, Huxin District, Guizhou Province of China. After that, through repeated investigation, survey and demonstration, cultivation scale was eventually expanded.

Till now, area of Gastrodia base has been enlarged to over 1000 mu in Wenge Village and a district’s most advanced Gastrodia garden of artificial pollination has been built, annual sales reach hundreds of million CNY while 800 people are leaded to get jobs around their homes.