Shiitake King Zhou Jianxi: Taking Root in the Mountains to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms
He is burly and honest by nature.
He is a farmer's son, yet he has had a legendary experience.
Though an ordinary businessman, his heart is tied to his hometown. He is Zhou Jianxi, general manager of Jiangxi Fangge Edible Fungi Development Co., Ltd.
Returning Home After Success to Build a Production Base
In the crisp autumn air, in Wenfang Town in the mountainous area of southern Guixi——Jiangxi Fangge Edible Fungi Development Co., Ltd.——rows upon rows of steel-framed shiitake mushroom production greenhouses come into view. The employees are bustling with activity, some busy picking fresh shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms, some purchasing shiitake mushrooms from mushroom farmers, and some drying shiitake mushrooms. A scene of harvest unfolds before one's eyes……
In 1992, having just graduated from junior high school, in order to ease his parents' burden and give his younger sister a better chance to study, he resolutely gave up his high school education. At the age of 18, Zhou Jianxi went alone to Shaoxing, Zhejiang to work, becoming an ordinary worker in a dyeing and printing factory. Because he was young and eager to learn, he won the boss's favor. Later, the boss, seeing his intelligence and dependability, asked him to help sell cloth. Through years of selling cloth, Zhou Jianxi accumulated a great deal of business experience, so he borrowed some capital from relatives and friends, founded his own dyeing and printing company, and opened his own shop. After more than 10 years of doing business away from home, his own life gradually improved, but he never forgot the hometown that gave him life and raised him. Just then, Zhou Jianxi discovered the vast market for edible fungi. In June 2012, he resolutely returned to his hometown and invested in the establishment of Jiangxi Fangge Edible Fungi Development Co., Ltd. The company has registered capital of 30 million yuan and a total area of more than 750 mu. It is mainly a private enterprise integrating the research and development, production, cultivation, storage and sales of edible fungi, serving townships and the "three rural issues" through a company-plus-farmers and cooperative model. He intends to build the largest edible fungi production base in the Yingtan area and to become a veritable "Shiitake King."
As early as the beginning of the investment and construction of the production base, Zhou Jianxi had already sketched a blueprint in his mind: to make the edible fungi industry bigger and stronger, and to lead the surrounding villagers to earn more income and live better lives through edible fungi cultivation. But mobilizing everyone to grow shiitake mushrooms was not as easy as he had imagined, because most villagers were completely unfamiliar with edible fungi cultivation, and the market for the products after cultivation was also a worrying issue. So getting them to participate was doubly difficult.
Despite Countless Difficulties, His Resolve Remains Unshaken
"Is this thing easy to grow? Is there a market for it?" 49-year-old Zhang Xianglong had doubts from the very beginning. Having long driven agricultural vehicles locally, his doubts about growing edible fungi were also the shared worry of the villagers. Faced with the farmers' doubts and concerns, Zhou Jianxi did not give up because of them. After communicating with the farmers many times, with the support of the Wenfang Town Party Committee and government, he carried out specialized training in edible fungi cultivation and provided comprehensive technical support and guidance to the farmers participating in cultivation.
Now, through Zhou Jianxi's efforts, many surrounding farmers have accepted the edible fungi cultivation project. Farmers in villages such as Diaoqiao, Shawoling, Zhanyuan and Shalong have also begun growing edible fungi under Zhou Jianxi's leadership. Zhou Jianxi seized the opportunity and arranged for technical personnel to make regular door-to-door visits to provide free technical guidance to the growers.
After more than half a year of edible fungi cultivation, the growers' lives have improved greatly. 52-year-old Wei Qijun said: "In the past, I farmed at home, and after deducting the cost of seeds, pesticides and chemical fertilizers, there was hardly anything left; working away from home earned a bit more, but I could not take care of my family. Now things are great. Thanks to Zhou Jianxi teaching us to grow edible fungi, we no longer have to go out to work." It is understood that so far, Zhou Jianxi has led farmers in Wenfang Town to widely cultivate edible fungi, with each household increasing its annual income by more than 100,000 yuan. At the same time, Zhou Jianxi has also sponsored 3 students.
Through Painstaking Effort, a Grand Vision Finally Unfolds
Today, Zhou Jianxi's company has a total investment of 60 million yuan. The cultivation base has 750 mu of shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms and other series products, produces 10 million sticks of edible fungi, reaches 17 natural villages across the town, has developed 20 specialized cultivation cooperatives, has led more than 300 surrounding farmer households to cultivate, has created employment for more than 500 people, and increases annual income per mu by more than 20,000 yuan.
At the same time, his company also has a group of experienced technical personnel and has accumulated rich experience in the production and processing technology of edible fungi (shiitake mushrooms), with strong independent research and development and innovation capabilities. Last August, the company passed the Ministry of Agriculture's organic product certification; in September it was recognized as a "Jiangxi Province Employment Promotion Base"; and in November it won the "Outstanding Business" award issued by the Ministry of Agriculture at the 15th China Green Food Expo. This August, the company's Xiangtaishan Edible Fungi Cooperative in Diaoqiao Village was rated as a "National One Village One Product" demonstration base.
All along, Zhou Jianxi has provided farmers with a one-stop service covering mushroom sticks, technical training and market sales, forming a management team for edible fungi research and development, production, cultivation, technology and sales outlets, and achieving common development and common prosperity for the company and the farmers. Moreover, he has always strictly implemented the quality policy of "creating first-class quality," accelerating the company's development, continuously developing new products and new markets, and using the existing development platform to keep making the business stronger and bigger. At present, this "Shiitake King" has a new idea: to integrate shiitake mushroom cultivation with agritourism, build a shiitake mushroom restaurant, launch a series of shiitake mushroom banquets, and encourage farmers to participate in picking, processing and preparing shiitake mushrooms, enjoying the labor and experiencing happiness, truly realizing a one-stop service of shiitake mushroom production, processing, sales, picking and dining, building the base into the largest shiitake mushroom production, processing and distribution center in the Yingtan area, letting the fragrance of shiitake mushrooms spread far and wide and reach the dining tables of thousands of households.
"The road ahead is long and has no ending; I will search high and low." For many years, it is precisely by this belief that Zhou Jianxi has shed his sweat on this hot land of entrepreneurship in his hometown, dedicating his youth and passion. From him, one can truly feel the noble character and valuable spirit of a farmer's son: hardworking, tenacious and devoted.