Sankhuwasabha, May 11:

The collection of yarshagumba has started in the northern VDCs in the district. Locals in Chepuwa and Yaphu VDCs of the districts have already started collecting yarshagumba from last week.

More than 1,000 kg of yarshagumba is being collected from Hatiya, Makalu, Tamku, Chepuwa, Pathivara, Yaphu, Wala and Sisuwa VDCs in the northern part of the district every year.

Normally, the collection of yarshagumba starts from the second week of April, but this year it is delayed two weeks, Tenchhiwi Bhote said. Yarshagumba is found in Makalu Barun National Reserve (MBNR) in an abundance.

“Locals pay the tax to MBNR after collecting yarshagumba,” Yubaraj Regmi, chief at MBNR said, adding that the locals need to take permission from the Reserve to collect it. The Reserve imposes Rs 1,000 tax per kg of yarshagumba.

Earlier, yarshagumba used to be smuggled, but this year community forests of buffer zones have made it mandatory to get permission — to collect yarshagumba — to check the smuggling.

“If the Reserve gives permission to collect yarshagumba to the community forests, the collection will be more than 700 kg this year,” chairman of Buffer Zone Community Forest Unit Committee, Rajdhan Rai said.

Yarshagumba is sold in markets in China and India.