An employee carefully checks out how the crop is going. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]

Nearly 10,000 logs of pink variant fungus reached their first harvest inside a growing base of Xiyang village in Shangyang town, Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on June 2.

This visually striking variety of wood ear mushroom — dubbed the "Pink Jade Fungus" — is being hailed as a game-changer for local industry.

Unlike typical black wood ear mushrooms, this delicate pink variant resembles blooming flowers, and it offers not just aesthetic appeal but also twice the dietary fiber of its traditional counterpart.

Developed by a team led by renowned Chinese mycologist and academician Li Yu, it's already earned its reputation as a premium edible mushroom.

"This fungus is not only beautiful but also highly nutritious and marketable," said Wang Yun, head of the growing base. Thanks to the region's pristine water, ideal humidity and broad temperature variations, Shangyang town's environment provides perfect conditions for the cultivation of these mushrooms.

When paired with full-scale smart agriculture systems — monitoring temperature, humidity, and growth data in real time — the base has achieved high yields and superior quality.

The initial harvest is forecast to reach 11,000 kilograms, with a wholesale price of 34 yuan ($4.72) per kg, generating over 380,000 yuan in value. Beyond its revenue, the project has already created jobs for 15 local villagers, boosting incomes by over 3,000 yuan per month.

Looking ahead, Xiyang village aims to deepen its supply-side value chain with dried and drinkable mushroom products, while embracing e-commerce to widen their market reach.