Taiwan-Japan Collaboration on Heat-Resistant Shiitake Strains Aims to Boost Yields Amid Climate Challenges

A delegation from the Xinshe District Farmers' Association in Taichung, accompanied by agricultural experts from the Ministry of Agriculture, visited Mori Industries in Gunma, Japan, to discuss the development of heat-resistant shiitake strains, cultivation techniques, and intellectual property protection. The initiative seeks to introduce Japanese management expertise to help Taiwan's shiitake industry mitigate the impact of rising temperatures.

Xinshe is Taiwan's largest shiitake production hub, covering approximately 250 hectares with an annual output of 2,000 tons. However, due to climate change and strain degradation, productivity per substrate bag has dropped from 300g to 200g, resulting in a 25% decline in total value.

To address this, the Xinshe District Farmers' Association, supported by the government, helped establish Fungus Resource Biotechnology in 2020. In 2024, facilitated by First Choice Food, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Mori Industries. Field trials are currently underway across eight locations to determine the optimal cultivation parameters for these new strains. Once stable, the project will move to formalize intellectual property and plant variety rights before full-scale commercialization.

Experts from the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) noted that the collaboration focuses on both superior genetic traits and improved cultivation management, drawing on historical ties between the two regions. Mori Industries, founded in 1936 by Dr. Kisaku Mori, is a global leader in shiitake biotechnology. Both sides hope this technical exchange will bolster the competitiveness of the industry and ensure long-term sustainability for local farmers.