Risk is high, but returns are low for yarsagumba collectors

Thousands risk their lives each season, but traders say Chinese buyers call the shots on price. Also, overharvesting has worsened yields in recent years.

Though yarsagumba (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) fetches soaring prices in international markets, collectors in Nepal’s Karnali region have been struggling to find good prices for the prized caterpillar fungus. They are receiving no more than Rs1,000 per piece—and often much less—despite risking their lives to gather it in the highland meadows.