Mushroom hunting season in Yunnan province attracts large numbers of tourists

An approaching peak season for wild edible mushroom consumption has sparked a boom in express delivery and mushroom-related tourism in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Dubbed the "kingdom of wild fungi" in China, Yunnan breeds about 900 varieties of edible wild mushrooms, accounting for over 90 percent of the national total.

Wild mushrooms spring up across the province during the monsoon season. This year, the peak trading season for this beloved seasonal delicacy is expected to begin in mid-July.

At the famous Mushuihua Wild Edible Mushroom Market in Kunming, the provincial capital, an express delivery outlet now sends out more than 3,000 fresh mushroom parcels per day.

"These trucks leave as soon as they are fully packed. We expect to make a trip every two hours, directly delivering to the airport. At least four trucks depart here every day, carrying nearly 10 tons of mushrooms. This represents a nearly 20-percent year-on-year growth," said Yuan Xiaobo, manager of a Shunfeng Express store at the market.

As searches for mushroom market shopping, tips for identifying edible mushrooms and mushroom cuisine surge on online travel platforms, many travel agencies have launched mushroom-themed tours.

"Tourists can come here to savor wild mushrooms and take several days off. They can also drink paddy field coffee, appreciate Yi embroidery works, and experience local culture," said Ma Jun, general manager of a travel agency in Yunnan's Nanhua County.

"Mushroom-related tour products have increased by over 30 percent this year, with bookings for mushroom hunting day trips up 50 percent. Combined with other factors like the summer vacation, a peak season is expected from mid-July to early August," said Chen Sijia, manager of a travel agency store.

As the peak season approaches, hotels and homestays near major fungi markets across Yunnan are nearing full capacity.

"With more customers traveling here for wild mushrooms, our occupancy rate has surged by 35.8 percent year-on-year. The figure is nearing 90 percent during the summer vacation. We have already been fully booked," said Li Tiaotiao, owner of a homestay hotel.

Mushroom hunting season in Yunnan province attracts large numbers of tourists

Protests against federal immigration enforcement are spreading across the United States, with the latest demonstration unfolding directly in front of the White House.

Early Saturday, more than a hundred demonstrators gathered there, demanding changes to the Trump administration's immigration policies and accountability for recent shootings involving federal agents.

Immigrant rights and civil rights groups said this weekend's rallies mark a coordinated national response. Demonstrations are planned or already underway in major cities including Philadelphia, as well as across states such as North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Washington, D.C., where organizers are calling for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be removed from local communities.

The nationwide protests follow a deadly week in which three people were shot by federal agents in two days.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, a 37-year-old woman, Renee Good, was killed during an enforcement operation by the ICE. A day later in Portland, Oregon, a man and a woman were wounded during a separate federal operation.

In the aftermath, Minnesota state officials accused the Trump administration of blocking their investigation by denying access to key evidence and prematurely drawing conclusions before a full review could be completed.

On Friday, Donald Trump defended the Department of Homeland Security's actions, sharply criticizing Minnesota leaders and calling them corrupt.

Local leaders have pushed back. During a Saturday news conference, the mayor of Minneapolis described ICE agents' actions as reckless.

Officials in both Minneapolis and Portland continue urging demonstrators to remain peaceful as protests intensify nationwide.

According to a 50501 Movement statement issued Friday, at least 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025.

Nationwide protests erupt in US after ICE shootings