Fuzhou – December 6, 2024 – The First Tremella Industry Development Conference, hosted by the China Edible Fungi Association, the People’s Government of Gutian County, and the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Ningde City, opened on December 5 in Gutian County, Fujian Province. Experts, scholars, and business representatives from the edible fungi sector worldwide gathered to explore new pathways for the development of the Tremella industry.

“Tremella is the ‘golden treasure’ cherished by the people of Gutian, as the old saying goes, ‘A pound of Tremella is worth a hundred bushels of grain.’ Since the 1960s, Gutian has overcome technical barriers time and again, transitioning from mimicking log cultivation to bottle cultivation and then to bag cultivation, finding the ‘key’ to making Tremella a household staple,” said Zhang Chenghui, Party Secretary of Gutian County, during the opening ceremony. Gutian has built its county’s development around mushrooms, leveraging Tremella cultivation to achieve rural revitalization and prosperity for its people. Today, Gutian’s Tremella production accounts for 90% of China’s output and 85% of the world’s total. “We can proudly say: The world looks to Gutian for Tremella!”

Over the years, Gutian County has relentlessly developed its edible fungi industry into a pillar sector and a driver of wealth for its people. This effort has culminated in the renowned “Gutian Model” for edible fungi development, earning prestigious national accolades such as the National Demonstration Zone for Export-Quality Edible Fungi, the National Pioneer Zone for Integrated Rural Development, the Chinese Specialty Agricultural Product Advantage Zone, and the National Modern Agriculture Demonstration Zone.

“Gutian Tremella has flourished along its development journey, not only unlocking the health secrets of nourishment for people worldwide but also serving as a friendly ‘ambassador’ connecting the world and the future,” remarked Liang Weixin, Party Secretary of Ningde City, in his speech. In recent years, initiatives such as the “Eight Ones” program—including a comprehensive plan, a blue paper, and a research institution—alongside accelerated construction of the “Four Parks” (micro-parks, e-commerce parks, logistics parks, and food processing parks) have significantly enhanced the reputation and influence of Gutian Tremella.

Academician Li Yu of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of the International Society for Medicinal Mushrooms highlighted in his speech that edible fungi have become a critical force in optimizing agricultural structures. Domestically, over 70% of impoverished counties have leveraged the edible fungi industry to escape poverty, with the “one meat, one vegetable, one mushroom” dietary concept gaining traction. Internationally, China’s cooperation with Zambia to establish an edible fungi factory has become a model for “South-South Cooperation,” showcasing the industry’s role in poverty alleviation and global impact. Li Yu emphasized the need to advance innovation across the entire edible and medicinal fungi industry chain, accelerating progress in precision breeding, smart cultivation, and deep processing to embody China’s “Big Food Vision” and secure its “fungal food bowl.”

Currently, Gutian is striving to establish itself as the “World Capital of Tremella.” It has built the China-Gutian Edible Fungi Wholesale Market, now a national hub for edible fungi distribution and a designated wholesale market by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The China-Gutian Edible Fungi E-commerce Park supports over 400 e-commerce companies and 2,700 online stores, with a marketing network covering the entire country and extending to Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The production and sales rate of edible fungi exceeds 98%.

Greg Seymour, President of the International Society for Mushroom Science, presented Gutian with the certificate recognizing it as the “Birthplace of Bag-Cultivated Tremella” at the event (Photo courtesy of the event organizers).

At the opening ceremony, Greg Seymour, President of the International Society for Mushroom Science, officially awarded Gutian the certificate recognizing it as the “Birthplace of Bag-Cultivated Tremella.” The event also featured a series of significant ceremonies, including the unveiling of the “China Rural Revitalization International Cooperation Laboratory (Specialized Industry – Gutian Tremella),” the certification ceremony for the first cohort of trainees in the International Training Program on Edible Fungi Cultivation Techniques and Sustainable Agriculture, and the release of the Gutian Tremella Nutrition Evaluation Index and the Xinhua-China (Gutian) Tremella Price Index.

Additionally, the day included the signing ceremony for research on traditional Chinese medicine-grade Tremella quality standards, the launch ceremony for the development of international standards for Tremella, and three thematic roundtable discussions.

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Company Name: Gutian County People’s Government
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Country: China
Website: http://www.gutian.gov.cn/