Working to return home to build a mushroom base to drive the villagers to become rich

The villagers of Zhangtun Village work in Sun Chengyuan's shiitake mushroom shed. Text / our reporter Ma Zhengtu / courtesy of the interviewees

In November 2016, Sun Chengyuan, who has been a migrant worker for many years, returned to Xingtai Street, Pulandian District. Before he had settled down, Sun Chengyuan built a shiitake mushroom shed in Zhangtun Village, next to the Pi Shuang Highway. Now, a year and a half later, Sun Chengyuan has built 35 shiitake sheds in Zhangtun Village, covering an area of 50 mu, becoming the largest shiitake production base in Pulandian District, increasing the monthly income of nearly 100 local low-income villagers to more than 2000 yuan.

The idea of raising shiitake mushrooms in Dalian comes out of eating in the south.

Sun Chengyuan, already 40, left his hometown in his 20s. "at first, I was a migrant worker, and then I gradually started the clothing business. When I came of age, I went to the south, and I was really a layman in mushroom farming." Sun Chengyuan said that he decided to raise the idea of cultivating shiitake mushrooms when he went to the south again and again. "every time I go to the south, as long as my friends invite me to dinner, edible mushrooms on the table are essential. After a long time, I also find that southerners can't eat without edible mushrooms." It was this discovery that made Sun Chengyuan feel that the edible mushroom market was promising.

After having this idea, Sun Chengyuan gradually shifted his mind to the cultivation of edible mushrooms. to this end, he inspected the market everywhere and focused on Lentinus edodes. "I found that from a national point of view, Lentinus edodes can be divided into winter mushrooms and summer mushrooms. Winter mushrooms are mainly produced in the south of Henan Province. Affected by the high temperature in the south, mushrooms are mainly produced in winter, while summer mushrooms are concentrated in the north of Hebei Province, and the time of mushroom production is concentrated in summer. However, in terms of culture volume, winter mushrooms far exceed summer mushrooms, which shows that there is still a big gap in the market of summer mushrooms. The climate of Dalian is very suitable for cultivating summer mushrooms. " Sun Chengyuan told reporters that Lentinus edodes cultured in Dalian can catch up with two peak prices. "once in May, the temperature in the south was too high to produce mushrooms, and because the temperature to the north of Dalian was still relatively low, it was also not conducive to the growth of Lentinus edodes. When things are scarce, the price of Lentinus edodes rises naturally. For the same reason, shiitake mushrooms in Dalian can be sold at a high price in July every year. "

He returned to his hometown to set up a professional agricultural cooperative, and the shiitake mushrooms were sold to Hong Kong and Macao

So Dalian is so big, where to build the shiitake mushroom greenhouse? Zhuanghe is the main producing area of mushroom farming in Dalian, but after several considerations, Sun Chengyuan returned to Xingtai Street of his hometown and built his shiitake shed in Zhangtun Village. "on the one hand, the temperature and humidity are suitable for Lentinus edodes farming, and on the other hand, I have not done anything for my hometown for so many years, and I also want to give the villagers one more way to get money through Lentinus edodes farming." Sun Chengyuan said.

After market investigation, technical study, and fund-raising, Sun Chengyuan returned to his hometown in November 2016 and registered Dalian Shuangshengyuan Agricultural Professional Cooperative. He invested in 35 shiitake sheds in Zhangtun Village and hired nearly 100 local low-income villagers to work in shiitake mushroom sheds. "some of the villagers who come to work in the shed come every day. These people earn more than 3000 yuan, and some of them still have land at home. They come as soon as they have time, and can earn more than 2000 yuan a month." Sun Chengyuan said.

In 2017, Sun Chengyuan's shiitake greenhouse began to produce mushrooms. In 2017, Sun Chengyuan produced nearly 150000 kilograms of Lentinus edodes, which were divided into several grades according to their products, of which the price of first-class mushrooms was 12 yuan per kilogram. Along the Beijing-Guangzhou Expressway, from Qingdao to Guangzhou, and finally to Hong Kong and Macao, these mushrooms are sold everywhere.

The new model of "company + peasant household" will lead 500 low-income households to increase their income and become rich in three years.

Sun Chengyuan is more concerned about the villagers working in his shiitake mushroom shed than the profits of the cooperative last year. In his view, it is the key to let the villagers learn the skills of cultivating shiitake mushrooms. "with the technology, I can provide them with mushroom sticks, and they can build their own shed and do it on their own." Sun Chengyuan said that if you want to become the shiitake mushroom farming industry in the Great Pulandian area, it is far from enough to rely on yourself. Only when the people around you work, can the industry form a scale. To this end, the cooperative has also launched a "company + peasant household" model. "if the villagers who work here feel that their skills have passed, they can buy mushroom sticks from me at a price of 4.4 yuan per stick, and raise them in my greenhouse. After mushroom, the marketing will be solved by the cooperative. If the selling price of each mushroom stick is less than 4.4 yuan for the whole year, the loss will be paid for by the cooperative, and if it is higher than 4.4 yuan, the profit will all go to the purchaser. " Sun Chengyuan hopes to promote Lentinus edodes farming locally. "when villagers gradually accept this industry, they will naturally want to invest in sheds."

Sun Chengyuan told reporters that Lentinus edodes is a highly nutritious edible fungus, regardless of the peak season and off season, it is a perennial production industry with less investment and quick results, and it can earn two or three crops of money that year, which is most suitable for farmers. The cooperative "company + peasant household" model ensures that bacteria sticks, technical guidance, and the recycling and sale of shiitake mushrooms are all the responsibility of cooperatives, with zero investment and zero insurance, thus relieving the worries of shiitake mushroom farmers. After last year, four people have bought mushroom sticks from the cooperative this year. "each of them is 15000 yuan, and their estimated income is more than 30000 yuan. This is only the first step. In the next step, our cooperative plans to use three years to drive 500 low-income households to build shiitake mushroom sheds to increase their income and become rich. " Sun Chengyuan said.