Yaozhuang Mushrooms

Yaozhuang Mushrooms

Yaozhuang Mushrooms are a protected geographical indication product.

　　Yaozhuang Town is located in the northeastern part of Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province, bordering Qingpu District and Jinshan District of Shanghai to the east. The single-season planting area of Yaozhuang mushrooms exceeds 10.071 million square feet, with an annual output of over 8,000 tons, making it the largest mushroom distribution hub in northern Zhejiang. Yaozhuang mushrooms are popular in the three provinces and one municipality of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Fujian. Yaozhuang has been honored as the “Hometown of Mushrooms in China.”

　　Mushroom production, especially edible fungi, is the leading agricultural industry in Yaozhuang and the main sector of Jiashan’s “white” industry belt. Mushroom cultivation in Yaozhuang began in the 1960s and has since developed into the largest mushroom production base in northern Zhejiang, with a total planting area of 19.36 million square feet. The annual yield reaches 15,000 tons, generating a total income of 45 million yuan. Currently, over 50% of local households grow mushrooms, including more than 120 large-scale growers with plots exceeding 10,000 square feet.

　　The mushroom industry is one of the key sectors driving agricultural efficiency and increasing farmers’ incomes in Yaozhuang. With a long history of mushroom cultivation starting in the 1960s, the industry has seen rapid growth in recent years due to its strong economic returns. By the end of 2004, the town’s total planting area reached 19.36 million square feet, with an output of nearly 14,000 tons. Yaozhuang has now become the largest production and distribution hub for fresh and brine mushrooms in the province. Fresh mushrooms are mainly sold to Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu, while brine mushrooms are primarily distributed to Shandong and Fujian. In December 2002, Yaozhuang was designated as the “Hometown of Mushrooms in China” by the China Association for Quality Agricultural Products Development and Service. In 2003, the “Jinxue” brand mushrooms were recognized as a “Famous Trademark of Zhejiang Province” and a “Jiaxing Famous Product.” That same year, they also received the titles “Green Agricultural Product of Zhejiang Province” and “Pollution-Free Agricultural Product” certified by the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2004, “Jinxue” brand mushrooms won a gold award at the Zhejiang Provincial Agricultural Expo. They are currently being considered for the titles “Zhejiang Provincial Famous Agricultural Product” and “Green Food.”

　　The protected geographical indication area for Yaozhuang Mushrooms is defined according to the scope proposed in the Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province document “Letter on the Protected Geographical Indication Area of Yaozhuang Mushrooms” (Shan Zheng [2005] No. 9), covering the current administrative region of Yaozhuang Town, Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province.