Wood ear mushroom cultivation opens a new path for farmers in Luqiao Town, Weishan County to escape poverty and become prosperous

“This year, these two greenhouses are expected to bring in an annual income of 200,000 yuan, which is a very good return. Poor households who work in the wood ear mushroom greenhouses also earn decent wages, and it is expected to lift five households out of poverty. Next, we plan to expand to eight greenhouses, basically lifting all poor households out of poverty and cultivating a group of large-scale industry operators, truly setting our village on the road to moderate prosperity. ...

“This year, these two greenhouses are expected to bring in an annual income of 200,000 yuan, which is a very good return. Poor households who work in the wood ear mushroom greenhouses also earn decent wages, and it is expected to lift five households out of poverty. Next, we plan to expand to eight greenhouses, basically lifting all poor households out of poverty and cultivating a group of large-scale industry operators, truly setting our village on the road to moderate prosperity.” So said the Party branch secretary of Liuqiao Village, Luqiao Town.

The wood ear mushroom greenhouses mentioned are exactly part of the “one village, one product” plan implemented by Luqiao Town as part of its industrial poverty alleviation efforts. In the case of Liuqiao Village, Luqiao Town took the village's distinctive wood ear mushroom cultivation as the breakthrough point for industrial poverty alleviation, having model Party member Liu Yunfeng blaze the trail, going to other places to learn wood ear mushroom cultivation techniques, cultivating local varieties, and raising the profile of wood ear mushroom cultivation through sales trips, online marketing and other methods, making it convenient for customers from various places to come and buy. At the same time, the industrial chain has been extended to form a chain covering cultivation, harvesting, sun-drying and processing, absorbing and driving poor people into employment. Corn cobs that were once only used for lighting fires and cooking have also been turned from waste into treasure, accelerating the process of villagers becoming prosperous. Many poor households have escaped poverty and become prosperous, and villagers whose economic conditions were not bad to begin with have also developed even better, with more money in hand. It is very obvious that in the past two years more villagers have bought cars, buildings have been put up, village greening has been done well, and the construction of beautiful villages is steadily advancing. All of this benefits from the development of precise poverty alleviation industries.

“In the past, I relied on subsistence allowances for relief, and when I had nothing I thought about asking the government for help. I myself felt I could not do anything and that I was a useless person. Now I sun-dry wood ear mushrooms for the village greenhouses, which is not tiring, and I earn 30 yuan a day, and my heart feels lighter too.” said Liu, a subsistence allowance recipient. The town has recognized that developing “one village, one product” specialty agriculture is better than simply relying on state welfare assistance. It is better because it is a good industry suited to rural realities, it embodies the word “precise” in precise poverty alleviation, it is the foundation for achieving poverty alleviation and prosperity, and it has sustainability and lasting value. Guiding the healthy development of the industry and guiding farmers to escape poverty and become prosperous is a good path for industrial poverty alleviation suited to rural realities. It is a good way to turn “blood transfusion” into “blood production” and steadily move onto the road to prosperity. Liuqiao Village in Luqiao Town is just such a village, and through developing wood ear mushroom cultivation it has embarked on a fast road to prosperity.