Bamboo fungus planting drives Kaiyang's forest-derived economy

Bamboo fungus planting has become a way for Kaiyang county to develop its forest-derived economy. [Photo/Kaiyang media center]

Kaiyang county in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, is exploring the development of a forest-derived economy by taking advantage of its abundant forest resources.

The county has a forest area of more than 1.5 million mu (100,000 hectares) and a forest coverage rate of 57.25 percent, the highest in central Guizhou.

Planting bamboo fungus, a valuable type of edible fungus found in bamboo groves, has become a strong agricultural practice in Kaiyang.

The county's Shuangyong forest farm has planted 500 mu of bamboo fungus this year, with a total investment of 17 million yuan (2.55 million) from the forest farm and the Guizhou Zhengcheng Agriculture Technology Development Co.

Kaiyang residents work at the Shuangyong forest farm. [Photo/Kaiyang media center]

Three stalks of bamboo fungus can be harvested a year, and about 400 kg of fresh bamboo fungus can be harvested per mu. It is estimated that the annual output value will be at least 20 million yuan.

In addition to boosting income by selling bamboo fungus, the planting of the fungus has provided dozens of work opportunities for residents living around the forest farm, which plays an essential role in boosting local economic development and improving people's livelihoods.

Resident Tang Zhongju said that she can earn around 150 yuan per day when working at the forest farm, allowing her to better take care of her family, without having to serve as a migrant worker outside her hometown.

Shuangyong forest farm will add 500 mu of bamboo fungus each year. By 2025, the bamboo fungus planting area at the farm is expected to reach 2,000 mu in total.

A woman fertilizes bamboo fungus seeds at the Shuangyong forest farm. [Photo/Kaiyang media center]