Livestreams see edible fungi sales mushroom

Booming trend

In recent years, livestream sales have become big business, accompanied by the rise of several celebrity hosts who make millions every year selling products via outfits such as Taobao, China's biggest e-commerce sales platform.

Unlike traditional TV sales, livestreams are usually conducted via mobile phones.

The format allows hosts to engage with audiences in real time and gives viewers a chance to make requests or comment about the goods being sold, fostering a sense of participation.

Having started in 2015, China's livestreaming craze developed gradually from the eastern regions to the middle and west.

Many places nationwide, especially rural areas, began promoting and selling local produce, prompting young people like He to undergo training to sell agricultural goods via multiple platforms.

A report by the Forward Industry Research Institute in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, said the scale of China's livestreaming e-commerce market is expected to reach 961 billion yuan ($139 billion) this year, a rise of 128 percent year-on-year. It also estimated that the number of livestream users will reach 550 million by the end of December.

Livestream sales platforms have provided new opportunities for a number of poverty-stricken areas, driving local economic development in new ways.