Township in C China’s Hubei drives rural revitalization through morel mushroom cultivation

A farmer checks on the growth of morel mushrooms in Shenhe township, Zhushan county, central China’s Hubei Province. (Photo/People’s Daily Online)

Shenhe township in Zhushan county, central China’s Hubei Province, has promoted the cultivation of morel mushrooms to boost rural revitalization.

Since the successful trial planting of morel mushrooms, the township has planted the species on 276 mu (18.4 hectares) of land, offering jobs to nearly 200 locals. The output value of the morel mushroom industry in the township has reached 13.8 million yuan ($1.9 million).

“Las year was the first year for me to plant morel mushrooms,” said Liu Yunbing, a major grower of morel mushrooms in the Maxian village of the township. However, due to a returning cold spell in late spring and limited planting skills, he failed to produce a harvest on 4 mu of land and lost over 50,000 yuan.

The man said he was downhearted but technological and financial support from the township government and agricultural departments of Zhushan county boosted his confidence to plant morel mushrooms. He built greenhouses on 10 mu of land to plant morel mushrooms with the support of the village in November 2022. As a result, he earned over 90,000 yuan from morel mushroom cultivation on top of covering his loss last year.