Sister provinces Cebu and Fujian eye mushroom production project

CEBU AND its sister province Fujian in China are looking at the introduction of a mushroom-farming technology to local producers as a new area of cooperation. Fujian Vice Gov. Gou Ningning, who led a Chinese delegation that visited Cebu last week, said they would be happy to share their knowledge in modern agriculture like the Juncao technology, according to a statement from the Cebu provincial government. Juncao technology involves the production of as many as 11 types of mushrooms from dried and chopped grasses. The visit was intended to pursue more areas of cooperation between the two provinces, which signed a sisterhood agreement last year. “We simply have to open each other’s doors and promote more opportunities. I strongly believe that economic benefits will just follow,” said Provincial Administrator Mark C. Tolentino, who led provincial department heads in welcoming and meeting with the Chinese delegation. The sisterhood is aimed at boosting trade and investment, tourism and people-to-people exchange programs. In November last year, Fujian opened scholarship grants in its universities for 10 Cebuanos.