Yarsagumba Harvest Season Draws Thousands in Himalayas

Yarsagumba, also called Yartsa Gunbu, is a high-altitude entomopathogenic fungus found in the Himalayas and used in traditional medicine. The fungus grows from the larva of ghost moths and is collected in alpine pastures in Nepal, India, Bhutan, and the Tibetan Plateau.

Biology and Habitat

Yarsagumba belongs to the genus Ophiocordyceps and is scientifically known as Ophiocordyceps sinensis. It occurs at elevations above 3,000 metres and is associated with cold alpine grasslands and the life cycle of ghost moth caterpillars.

Harvest Season in Nepal

The collection season in Nepal usually runs from April to June in districts such as Mugu, Dolpa, Jumla, and Gorkha. In Chhekampar of Chumnubri Rural Municipality-7 in Gorkha, nearly all 812 households moved to pastures above 4,000 metres during the 2026 harvesting season.

Trade, Price, and Conservation

District-level prices for Yarsagumba ranged from USD 22,000 to USD 30,000 per kilogram in 2024. Nepal exported more than 1,277 kilograms of Yarsagumba worth over USD 4.7 million in the first eight months of fiscal year 2024/25, with Hong Kong and China among the major importers. In Dolpa, the Division Forest Office delayed pasture opening until the final week of May 2026 to allow the fungus to mature. Harvest volumes in Karnali province fell from 409 kg in 2022-23 to 310 kg in 2024-25.

Scientific Findings and Indian Record

Researchers from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology identified Ophiocordyceps indica sp. nov. in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, in July 2024. The species was recorded at altitudes between 2,202 and 2,653 metres and was placed in the lower Indian Himalayas.

Important Facts for Exams

• Yarsagumba is a parasitic fungus-insect complex and is classified under the genus Ophiocordyceps.
• Nepal’s main collection districts include Mugu, Dolpa, Jumla, and Gorkha.
• Ghost moth caterpillars are the insect hosts linked with the growth of Ophiocordyceps sinensis.
• Ophiocordyceps indica was found in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh in 2024.

Medicinal Use and Research

Yarsagumba is used in traditional medicine systems in the Himalayan region and is traded as a high-value natural product. Recent research has examined compounds in Yarsagumba for possible use in cancer and tumour-related studies.