Hebei Oulangsi Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. is leveraging technology to successfully cultivate xiuzhen mushrooms, a specialty fungus native to southern China, in the northern climate. This "southern mushroom, northern cultivation" model uses standardized, intelligent farming to ensure year-round, stable production and expand the specialty edible fungi industry.
In a 5G-enabled smart mushroom house, xiuzhen mushrooms are grown in a vertical, climate-controlled environment. The facility uses a self-developed intelligent environmental control system, allowing staff to manage temperature, humidity, light, and carbon dioxide via a mobile device or control panel. This system mimics the mushrooms' southern habitat, overcoming northern climate constraints for consistent, high-yield production.
The first phase of the Oulangsi base includes 24 standardized smart mushroom houses. Each house produces up to 4,000 jin (2,000 kg) of mushrooms daily, with products sold primarily to Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, and Shanxi. The company has also developed a fully automated mushroom bag production line, handling raw material processing, sterilization, inoculation, and cultivation. This line has increased daily output from 10,000 to 30,000 bags while reducing the workforce from 20 to 7-8 workers, lowering labor costs and improving bag quality.
Beyond cultivation, the company is building a complete industrial chain. The first phase, with over 90 million yuan invested, includes 97 smart mushroom greenhouses, 8,000 square meters of indoor cultivation space, and 5,000 square meters of cultivation sheds. A second phase is planned to expand daily production to 120,000 bags, aiming to become Hebei's largest and most advanced xiuzhen mushroom production base, integrating research, demonstration, and tourism.
This scientific approach is transforming agriculture, allowing southern crops to thrive in the north. The "southern mushroom, northern cultivation" model not only fills a market gap but also showcases a path for rural revitalization through technology-driven, high-efficiency, and specialized farming, turning a small mushroom into a major industry.