Zhai Gen Shiitake Mushrooms

Zhai Gen Shiitake Mushrooms

　　Zhai Gen Township in Xixia County, Henan Province, is located in the northwest of Xixia County, covering a total area of 169 square kilometers with a population of 7,900. In recent years, Zhai Gen Township has vigorously developed the edible mushroom industry, with a focus on shiitake mushrooms. It has now cultivated 156 specialized large-scale growers and over 55 rural brokers, and has initially formed a 15-kilometer-long standardized edible mushroom production corridor, making shiitake mushrooms the township’s leading pillar industry.

　　　　Shiitake mushrooms are known as the “king of mountain delicacies” and are a nutritious health food high in protein and low in fat. They are rich in ergosterol, which helps prevent rickets; contain beta-1,3-glucan polysaccharides that enhance cellular immunity and thus inhibit cancer cell growth; include over 40 enzymes from six major enzyme categories that can help correct enzyme deficiencies in the human body; and their fats consist of fatty acids that are beneficial for lowering blood lipids.

　　　　Currently, Zhai Gen Township continues to enhance the branding and industrialization of its shiitake mushroom industry. Its products are exported to Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asian countries and regions, generating annual export earnings of $1.2 million. The township has successively been awarded titles such as “National Agricultural Standardization Demonstration Zone,” “Henan Province Pollution-Free Agricultural Product Origin,” “Henan Province Pollution-Free Agricultural Product Production Base,” and “Henan Province First Batch of Export Food Quality and Safety Demonstration Zones.” Zhai Gen Village has also been honored as one of the “Top 100 Villages in China for Mushroom-Based New Rural Construction.”