STORY: "Black diamond" truffles help boost villagers' income in SW China's Yunnan
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Jan. 22, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:31
LOCATION: KUNMING, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the black truffles
2. various of villagers hunting for black truffles
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): FANG TIANHUA, Party chief of Luhei Village, Kunming City, Yunnan Province
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): PU YUNGANG, Resident of Luhei Village, Kunming City, Yunnan Province
5. various of villagers hunting for black truffles

STORYLINE:

Dubbed "black diamond" of the culinary world, black truffle is one of the most expensive edible fungi in the world due to their rarity and distinctive aroma.

They require highly specific conditions to grow, including a particular climate, type of soil and the presence of certain tree species.

Thanks to its unique natural environment, Yunnan is China's primary producer of black truffles.

Truffle has recently fueled a rise in income for local villagers in the province.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): FANG TIANHUA, Party chief of Luhei Village, Kunming City, Yunnan Province
"The truffle harvesting season in our area runs from November to January of the following year. The quality of truffles is at its best before the Spring Festival. Villagers who are good at truffle-hunting can earn over 30,000 yuan (about 4,100 U.S. dollars) each year."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): PU YUNGANG, Resident of Luhei Village, Kunming City, Yunnan Province
"So far, I've dug approximately 70 to 80 kilograms of truffle. Each kilogram can be sold for 200 to 400 yuan (about 27-55 U.S. dollars)."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kunming, China.
(XHTV)