In the substrate production workshop for saprophytic fungi, crop straw and livestock manure are initially mixed, then fed into fermentation tanks via automated conveyor belts. In the intelligent temperature-controlled mushroom houses of the cultivation workshop, rows of mushroom beds are neatly arranged, with plump, round white button mushrooms thriving vigorously…
On December 26, 2023, reporters visited an edible fungus technology enterprise located in Xindifang Village, Haojiaying Township, Zhangbei County, where a strong atmosphere of modern agriculture greeted them.
The cultivation workshop has 18 mushroom houses, all dedicated to button mushroom cultivation, with an annual output of 2,400 tons of fresh mushrooms. Currently, the products are mainly sold to Zhangjiakou, Beijing, Baotou, Hohhot and other regions.
Chen Aiping is a native of Zhangbei. In 2007, she and her husband built 20 “earthen sheds” to grow button mushrooms. They founded a company in 2009 and later established the Zhangbei Edible Fungi Farmers’ Professional Cooperative, which has been expanding and growing stronger ever since.
“Fungi thrive in cool climates, and Zhangbei’s ‘coldness’ is precisely an advantage for developing the button mushroom industry. The Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei Normal University and other institutions have been providing us with technical guidance year-round,” said Chen Aiping.
In May 2023, the factory-built intelligent mushroom house cultivation area, with an investment of 26 million yuan, was completed and put into operation, endowing the edible fungus company with a more “high-tech” vibe. Chen Aiping explained that automated cultivation has broken the traditional production model. It not only improves the nutrition and quality of button mushrooms, but also shortens the production cycle from six months to about 40 days, and increases the yield from 5 kilograms per square meter to 30 kilograms or even more.
Button mushroom sauce, shiitake beef sauce, crispy shiitake chips… A long table in the company’s exhibition hall is filled with deep-processed products. To extend the industrial chain and increase product added value, the company invested 16 million yuan to build an edible fungus deep-processing production line, developing dozens of products with an annual processing capacity of over 1,000 tons and an output value of 35 million yuan.
As Lvjian Edible Fungi Company continues to grow, it has also provided employment opportunities for villagers nearby. “Both my husband and I work here. I pick button mushrooms, and he works in the substrate production workshop. Together, we can earn nearly 10,000 yuan a month. After covering household expenses, we can save a lot of money. Our life is getting better and better!” said Wang Cui’e, a former poverty-stricken household from Xindifang Village who works at the company, with delight.
It is understood that the company has employed 150 people from surrounding villages, with an average annual income of 50,000 yuan per person. In addition, the company has driven more than 800 farming households to develop edible fungus cultivation on an area of 1.2 million square meters, increasing the average household income by over 20,000 yuan.
At present, the company is experimenting with cultivating button mushrooms in potato cellars. Once successful, the technology will be promoted to villagers nearby, encouraging them to make use of idle potato cellars to increase their income.
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