Matsutake is a rare edible mushroom that grows naturally. In the small town of Sanhe deep in Changbai Mountain, China, regardless of gender or age, people rush up the mountain at three or four o'clock in the morning to search for an expensive and popular ingredient - Matsutake.
Sanhe Town is located in Longjing City, Yanbian Prefecture, Jilin Province. It has abundant forest resources, large temperature differences between day and night, high density of matsutake mushrooms, and a crispy texture, which is highly popular in the Japanese and Korean markets. This year, the first grade matsutake harvested by locals can be sold for over 1300 CNY.
Delicious matsutake mushrooms
Re: Delicious matsutake mushrooms
Jiang Hu, who is in his 30s, has contracted a forest. Every year, he seeks out friends to dig for matsutake mushrooms, because once they grow up and open an umbrella, the price of matsutake mushrooms immediately drops by more than half.
Jiang Hu's car jolted in the mountains for thirty to forty minutes before stopping. The higher the altitude, the better the quality of pine mushrooms, but the difficulty of digging was also greater. After getting off the car, the group continued to climb to the top of the mountain. Searching for matsutake mushrooms on steep slopes of 50-60 degrees requires caution and no room for distraction.
Jiang Hu told reporters that going up the mountain is a physical activity. It's cool and easy to work in the morning, and the sunlight is not too harsh. It's also easier to see matsutake mushrooms. In addition, everyone needs to go to the town's purchasing point before noon to sell matsutake mushrooms. In the afternoon, the export company will pack the fresh matsutake mushrooms and send them abroad.
Jiang Hu's car jolted in the mountains for thirty to forty minutes before stopping. The higher the altitude, the better the quality of pine mushrooms, but the difficulty of digging was also greater. After getting off the car, the group continued to climb to the top of the mountain. Searching for matsutake mushrooms on steep slopes of 50-60 degrees requires caution and no room for distraction.
Jiang Hu told reporters that going up the mountain is a physical activity. It's cool and easy to work in the morning, and the sunlight is not too harsh. It's also easier to see matsutake mushrooms. In addition, everyone needs to go to the town's purchasing point before noon to sell matsutake mushrooms. In the afternoon, the export company will pack the fresh matsutake mushrooms and send them abroad.
Re: Delicious matsutake mushrooms
The yield of matsutake mushrooms is affected by various factors such as climate and rainfall, and the harvest in Sanhe Town this year is average. One morning, Jiang Hu and his friends dug more than 3 kilograms, divided into four grades by quality, and sold them for over 3200 yuan. If it's a good year, it's not surprising to sell for tens of thousands of yuan in one morning.
At the matsutake purchasing point, the reporter met an old man named Cui Lianfu. She dug up more than 1 kilogram of matsutake in the morning and sold it for over 1000 yuan. She has been digging for matsutake mushrooms in the mountains since she was young, and although she is 74 years old, she can still go up the mountain. She said that digging for a few more years would not be a problem for herself.
Chinese matsutake mushrooms are mainly distributed in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Northeast China. In the 1980s, the demand for matsutake mushrooms in Japan and South Korea increased significantly. Due to its proximity to Japan and South Korea, the reputation of local matsutake mushrooms gradually rose in Yanbian area, which led to the prosperity of many villagers.
At the matsutake purchasing point, the reporter met an old man named Cui Lianfu. She dug up more than 1 kilogram of matsutake in the morning and sold it for over 1000 yuan. She has been digging for matsutake mushrooms in the mountains since she was young, and although she is 74 years old, she can still go up the mountain. She said that digging for a few more years would not be a problem for herself.
Chinese matsutake mushrooms are mainly distributed in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Northeast China. In the 1980s, the demand for matsutake mushrooms in Japan and South Korea increased significantly. Due to its proximity to Japan and South Korea, the reputation of local matsutake mushrooms gradually rose in Yanbian area, which led to the prosperity of many villagers.