Xiji uses potato storage cellar to cultivate mushroom during idle period.

An agricultural technician picks Pleurotus eryngii in a potato storage cellar on June 3. Xiji County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous region, which is known as the hometown of potatoes in China, has built 8671 standard potato storage cellars in recent years, covering a total net area of about 1366 mu. From mid-May to early October every year, these potato storage cellars are idle and useless, resulting in a waste of resources. In 2008, Xiji County Agricultural Technology extension Service Center conducted a multi-site experiment using the idle period of potato storage cellar, and successfully cultivated Flammulina velutipes and Pleurotus eryngii with good quality. This year, the county demonstrated and promoted 40 potato storage cellars of Flammulina velutipes and Pleurotus eryngii. On May 21, the first crop of mushrooms were exploited and put on the market. The average wholesale price per kilogram is 12 yuan to 16 yuan. Each cellar can put two stubble sticks in one year. The annual cultivation output value is expected to reach 16000 yuan to 19600 yuan. It is planned that this technology will be introduced to the whole county within three years.