Village in east China's Jiangxi thrives on new species of edible mushroom

A village in east China's Jiangxi Province has blazed a trail to prosperity by cultivating witch's butter, a new species of edible mushroom whose scientific name is tremella mesenterica, with the help of new technologies.

A villager picks witch's butter in a mushroom fruiting chamber in Yuejin village, Jiangyi township, Gongqingcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the convergence media center of Gongqingcheng city)

"Dubbed as 'gold of fungus', this new edible fungus is nutritious and rich in micronutrients, gaining much popularity these years," said Zhang Bokai, Party secretary of Yuejin village, Jiangyi township, Gongqingcheng city of Jiangxi.

With an investment of 3.5 million yuan ($479,000), the first phase of the planting base of the village covers 1 mu (667 square meters) of land, and has an annual output of 100,000 kilograms. In addition to an annual output value of some 6 million yuan, the first phase also increases the collective income of the village by 300,000 yuan annually, and provides jobs for more than 10 people.

Photo shows witch's butter in a mushroom fruiting chamber in Yuejin village, Jiangyi township, Gongqingcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the convergence media center of Gongqingcheng city)

The 10 mushroom fruiting chambers of the base are supported by technologies like a private 5G network and Internet of Things, which can automatically collect and monitor data like temperature, humidity and CO2 levels inside the chambers, according to Chen Qi, an executive of the base.

"Our witch's butter is favored by high-end consumers, with the fresh one priced at over 60 yuan per kilogram, and a dried one a maximum of 240 yuan. Next, the village is going to further expand the market, build another two phases of the base, and a research and education base for tourism," Chen added.

Photo shows some witch's butter products in a planting base in Yuejin village, Jiangyi township, Gongqingcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo courtesy of the convergence media center of Gongqingcheng city)