From fields to fame: Suizhou, shiitake mushroom capital of China

Suixian County in Suizhou, central China's Hubei Province, is widely known as the country's largest base for shiitake mushroom cultivation, processing and export. With its rich natural resources, skilled workforce and long history of mushroom growing, the county has transformed shiitake into what locals call a "mushroom of prosperity."

Today, more than 100,000 farmers are engaged in shiitake cultivation. The industry has created more than 300,000 job opportunities, spanning sectors such as mushroom packaging and beyond. This year, Guinness World Records has recognized the Suixian Industrial Development Service Center for achieving "the most varieties of mushroom dishes on display."

Government support has been key to this success. Suixian's human resources bureau has provided subsidies, start-up funds and small business loans, distributing more than 6.4 million yuan ($0.9 million) in subsidies and 45 million yuan ($6.3 million) in loans each year. These measures have nurtured a new generation of entrepreneurial leaders, encouraged farmers to form cooperatives, and advanced an "enterprise + base + farmer" model. This approach has driven industrialized seed cultivation and scaled-up mushroom farming.

One example is Tang Cheng, born in 1989 in Suixian's Baimiao Village. After years of running a steel trading business in Beijing, he returned home to start a mushroom cooperative. With strong local government support, his cooperative grew rapidly, creating jobs for residents and generating 100,000 yuan ($14,015) in annual revenue for the village collective.

Currently, Suixian boasts more than 120 mushroom-specialized villages, 134 cooperatives, 24 export enterprises and 21 export-certified production bases. The county's mushroom exports have reached $630 million, ranking first among China's mushroom-producing regions. Beyond boosting household incomes, the thriving shiitake industry has cemented Suixian's reputation as a global hub for mushroom production and trade.