Red mushrooms have seen a surge in demand in Beni Bazaar due to their rich taste and nutritional value, according to local hotel entrepreneur Naulimaya Pun.
Vendors in Beni are struggling to meet the rising demand as consumers increasingly prefer red mushrooms for their flavor and health benefits. The mushrooms, traditionally consumed in rural areas, are now reaching urban markets with improved transportation access.
On August 26 (Bhadra 10), Lagin Chhantyal from Kuinemangle, Ward No. 8 of Raghuganga Rural Municipality, sold out his 20-kilogram basket of red mushrooms within just 30 minutes of arriving in Beni. He said customers scrambled to buy the wild mushrooms, which he had collected from the forests of Kuinemangle.
“Red mushrooms, which were once consumed only in villages, are now reaching towns due to better road access,” Chhantyal explained. “If you can find them, they sell easily.” According to him, these mushrooms grow naturally during the monsoon season on dried trees of species like Kharsu, Himalayan pine, Falat, and Dabdabe at elevations around 3,000 meters above sea level. They are commonly used as vegetables.
Fresh red mushrooms are currently being sold at Rs. 1,000 per kilogram in Beni. The dried variety, often made into sukuti (dried meat-like form), fetches between Rs. 4,000 and Rs. 5,000 per kilogram, said Bhavin Chhantyal from Gurja, Ward No. 1 of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality. Gurja residents are among the largest collectors of wild mushrooms, with some earning Rs. 200,000 to Rs. 300,000 annually from mushroom sales.
According to the Red Mushroom Cultivation Technology booklet published by the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, red mushrooms are rich in protein and essential nutrients, which further boosts their appeal among consumers.
These wild mushrooms require specific temperature and humidity conditions to grow. The ideal harvesting seasons are from mid-May to late June and again from mid-September to October. In Myagdi, red mushrooms are commercially harvested from high-altitude villages and forests such as Gurja, Lulang, Mudi, Chimkhola, Muna, Kuine, Mangle, Ghyansekharka, Ramche, and Ghorepani.
“As wild mushrooms spoil quickly, collectors slice and dry them in the sun. On cloudy days, they are placed above indoor fireplaces or in storage areas to be dried using heat and smoke,” explained Naulimaya Pun.
According to the Division Forest Office, approximately 30 quintals of red mushrooms are harvested annually from the forests of Myagdi. A forest royalty of Rs. 10 per kilogram is charged when the mushrooms are transported outside the district. However, no permit is required for collection or sale within the district.
Consumers living in urban areas who miss the taste of traditional highland vegetables often purchase red mushrooms directly from rural sellers or have relatives send them, said entrepreneur Chhantyal.
“Harvesting red mushrooms involves both risk and hardship. Collectors must venture deep into forests, sometimes risking encounters with wild animals. Climbing tall, dried trees to pick the mushrooms can be dangerous. Fortunately, red mushrooms are easy to identify, which minimizes the risk of collecting poisonous varieties,” he added.
