Morel mushrooms from Lishui's Suichang county. [Photo/Lishui Daily]

A 1,200-mu (80-hectare) morel mushroom planting base in Suichang county, Lishui, Zhejiang province, has achieved an average net profit of over 31,550 yuan ($4,642.43) per mu.

Suichang's morel mushroom industry began in late 2024 as an experiment on 50 mu of idle winter farmland in Beijie town. After the rice harvest in October, the land would otherwise remain unused until April.

The town saw the potential of morel mushrooms and partnered with an experienced grower from Chongqing, generating over 30,000 yuan per mu in net profit and increasing local village collective and farmer incomes by nearly 300,000 yuan.

This success attracted neighboring farmers and companies, with two morel seed bases of 200 mu built in Beijie town last year and over 1,000 mu of winter-idle land in nearby Shilian town planted with morels.

In 2025 alone, Beijie town saw village collectives' income increase by 500,000 yuan and local farmers' income rise by 1 million yuan.

The local government has set up a team to develop the industry chain, including expert training, cold storage, and brand building. Members have worked on drying technology — extending shelf life from one week to one year — and organic certification, which has passed initial tests.

Morel mushroom insurance, which covers risks such as heavy rain, drought, and pests, has also been launched this year.

Suichang aims to expand morel planting to 3,000 mu and involve over 500 farming households, transforming the industry from scattered plots into an integrated chain.