China's "kingdom of wild fungi" enters peak trading season

A customer chooses edible wild mushrooms at a wild mushroom trade market in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, July 2, 2023. The peak season for trading wild edible fungi, a beloved seasonal delicacy in Yunnan Province, southwest China, has arrived, enticing countless foodies coveting its enchanting aura.

Yunnan, dubbed the "kingdom of wild fungi" in China, breeds about 900 varieties of edible wild mushrooms, accounting for over 90 percent of the national total (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

KUNMING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The peak season for trading wild edible fungi, a beloved seasonal delicacy in Yunnan Province, southwest China, has arrived, enticing countless foodies coveting its enchanting aura.

Yunnan, dubbed the "kingdom of wild fungi" in China, breeds about 900 varieties of edible wild mushrooms, accounting for over 90 percent of the national total.

This abundant diversity can be attributed to its complex topography and vast expanses of forests.

With the arrival of the monsoon season, wild mushrooms are springing up across the province in large quantities.

At the most famous Shuimuhua wild mushroom trade market in Kunming, the provincial capital, over 260 varieties of wild mushrooms are on offer, and since July, an average 300 tonnes of wild edible mushrooms are traded here every day.

"Due to the relatively dry climate, this year the peak of wild mushroom harvest season has been delayed by about 20 days compared with last year, but the price is nearly 30 percent higher," said Cheng Aili, general manager of the market.

Cheng noted that the annual transaction volume of the market exceeded 7 billion yuan (about 981.5 million U.S. dollars) for five consecutive years from 2017 to 2021, making it the largest wild edible fungi trade market in China at present.

Hai Xiaolei has been engaged in fungi trading for over two decades.

"We mainly sell high-quality matsutake, and the price per kilogram this year ranges from 1,500 to 2,300 yuan," Hai said.

The local delicacy has, in recent years, become a popular signature food in Yunnan, and even attracts a huge base of hardcore fans overseas.

Hai's clients include some foreign purchasers from countries including Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States.

"Some of them would place orders online after visiting my booth," he added. 

A vendor arranges edible wild mushrooms for transportation at a wild mushroom trade market in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, July 2, 2023. The peak season for trading wild edible fungi, a beloved seasonal delicacy in Yunnan Province, southwest China, has arrived, enticing countless foodies coveting its enchanting aura.

Yunnan, dubbed the "kingdom of wild fungi" in China, breeds about 900 varieties of edible wild mushrooms, accounting for over 90 percent of the national total.(Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

A vendor sells edible wild mushrooms at a wild mushroom trade market in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, July 2, 2023. The peak season for trading wild edible fungi, a beloved seasonal delicacy in Yunnan Province, southwest China, has arrived, enticing countless foodies coveting its enchanting aura.

Yunnan, dubbed the "kingdom of wild fungi" in China, breeds about 900 varieties of edible wild mushrooms, accounting for over 90 percent of the national total.(Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

A customer chooses matsutake mushrooms at a wild mushroom trade market in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, July 2, 2023. The peak season for trading wild edible fungi, a beloved seasonal delicacy in Yunnan Province, southwest China, has arrived, enticing countless foodies coveting its enchanting aura.

Yunnan, dubbed the "kingdom of wild fungi" in China, breeds about 900 varieties of edible wild mushrooms, accounting for over 90 percent of the national total.(Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

A chef prepares to cook edible wild mushrooms at a restaurant in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, July 2, 2023. The peak season for trading wild edible fungi, a beloved seasonal delicacy in Yunnan Province, southwest China, has arrived, enticing countless foodies coveting its enchanting aura.

Yunnan, dubbed the "kingdom of wild fungi" in China, breeds about 900 varieties of edible wild mushrooms, accounting for over 90 percent of the national total.(Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

A vendor arranges edible wild mushrooms for sell at a wild mushroom trade market in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, July 2, 2023. The peak season for trading wild edible fungi, a beloved seasonal delicacy in Yunnan Province, southwest China, has arrived, enticing countless foodies coveting its enchanting aura.

Yunnan, dubbed the "kingdom of wild fungi" in China, breeds about 900 varieties of edible wild mushrooms, accounting for over 90 percent of the national total.(Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)