The highland pastures of the Dolpa district will be opened for Yarsagumba collection from May 18. A multi-stakeholder meeting held in Dunai, the district headquarters of Dolpa, decided the opening date for the pastures. Anyone found entering the pastures area before the official date will be penalised.
As a part of the decision, all pastures that fall within the Shey Phoksundo National Park and Division Forest Office area will be open to the public for Yarsagumba collection.
Three types of entry permits have been arranged for those going to the pastures for collection. The National Park has fixed the fees as follows:
- Rs. 1,000 (approx. 7.38 US Dollars) for residents inside the buffer zone,
- Rs. 2,000 (approx. 14.76 US Dollars) for residents of Dolpa,
- Rs. 3,000 (approx. 22.14 US Dollars) for people from outside the district.
Personnel from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, National Investigation Department, and Nepal Police will be deployed in the pastures as necessary on the request of community forest user groups.
The meeting also decided to reward individuals or groups collecting waste in the pastures with cash incentives in coordination with relevant committees and local bodies. This effort aims to conserve the rare and declining Yarsagumba herb.
Commercial collection of Yarsagumba in Dolpa began in 1983. For the collection season, most Dolpa, Jajarkot, and Rukum West households temporarily migrate to the highlands.
Yarsagumba, known colloquially as caterpillar fungus, is a fungus that grows on the insects of the family Ophiocordycipitaceae. It is believed to provide health benefits, including boosting energy and the immune system, enhancing libido, and improving stamina.
