Mushroom Magic
The 'king of fungus' saving Chinese communities from poverty
Life had always been a struggle in the mountains bordering Tibet - until the discovery of the songrong fungus, known as Matsutake to the Japanese. Over there it's a delicacy, and commands a high price.
The Matsutake mushroom is valued so highly that a single specimen can sell for $500 in Tokyo's top restaurants. Now, villagers can make a healthy profit from picking and selling these mushrooms. But nobody knows how long this boom will last; they could all be plunged back into poverty at any moment.
Produced by ABC Australia
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