The "Queen in the fungus" who lit up Ma Wanbao's way to get rich.

When the author came to the hot spring valley forest, I saw a forest belt set up a sunshade net and drilled under the net, and the "little babies" with black heads and white bodies grew gratifying among the soil. "this is Morchella, a valuable edible fungus, and we have successfully tried it!" Morchella grower Ma Wanbao said happily.

Ma Wanbao, a 54-year-old hot spring native, worked in infrastructure and seedling business in his early years. I happened to see the introduction of Morchella getting rich on TV. In 2016, I learned that the agricultural technology extension station in Wenquan County introduced strains and did not hesitate to try out 5 mu of Morchella in its own valley forest belt. Zhou Zhenxiang, a technician at the Agricultural Technology Promotion Station in Hot Spring County, said that Morchella likes the growth environment of "three points of yang and seven points of overcast". The ecological environment and humidity of hot spring valley forest are very suitable for the growth of Morchella. "through market research, I have learned that there are still very few people who grow Morchella, and there are broad market prospects. Once they are planted, they will certainly not be worried about selling them," Ma Wanbao said. Morchella gets its name because of its reticulate surface and oval shape, which is slightly like the stomach of a sheep. It contains a variety of amino acids needed by the human body, and is known as the laudatory name of "queen of bacteria".

"at present, the market price of Morchella is 1800 yuan per kilogram, and the fresh fungus is 200 yuan per kilogram. According to the 150kg yield per mu this year, the output value per mu is 30,000 yuan, and the benefit per mu is as high as 20,000 yuan. My Morchella was taken away as soon as it was picked, and there is no worry about the market at all. In the past few days, there are orders coming one after another. This year, I want to expand the planting area, and I intend to take advantage of the opportunity of" Belt and Road Initiative "to export it abroad." Ma Wanbao told reporters.

It is understood that at present, the planting area of Morchella in Ma Wanbao is only 5 mu, and the local government is actively striving for project investment and is building a new 150-square-meter drying plant. In the later stage, it will expand the planting area through the "company + cooperative + peasant household" model, create the ecological planting industry of edible fungi in the valley forest, and attract more people to join the ranks of getting rich.

Picture and text: Li Wenting

Editor: Wang Wei

Producer: Tian Feng