Guiding Fern Shoots

Guiding Fern Shoots

　　Fern shoots, also known as purple bracken, snake fern, or fuzzy bracken, are medically noted for their heat-clearing, detoxifying, lung-moistening, and qi-regulating properties. As a result, they are recognized by nutritionists both at home and abroad as a natural health food. For over 20 years, they have been exported internationally without encountering trade barriers, making them a safe food product. Designated by the state as a special export vegetable, they are called the “national dish” of Japan, acclaimed as the “king of mountain vegetables” and “delicacy of the hills.”

　　From February to June each year, the fern shoot harvesting season arrives, drawing over 30 companies and tens of thousands of merchants from Hubei, Anhui, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and other regions to gather in Guiding County for fern shoot trading. After more than 10 years of development, the trading volume of fern shoots in Guiding has grown from an initial volume of less than 10 tons to nearly 600 tons today, making it the largest fern shoot trading market in China.