Easing cordyceps business

The latest decision of the stakeholders workshop on ‘devolution of cordyceps auction’ to adopt a direct buying and selling transaction of the fungi is expected to help the people in the business.

From the coming season, the new arrangement will bring the buyers and sellers of cordyceps in direct contact unlike in the past where some government agencies were involved in the auction.

Gewogs and communities where cordyceps are harvested will play a key role in the auction. However, government agencies like the Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS), National Post Harvest Centre, Department of Agriculture and Marketing Cooperatives (DAMC), and Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA) will also be involved.

The new arrangement, according to officials from the agencies concerned, was made to ensure smooth marketing and auction of cordyceps and their sustainable management.

The officials said that in the previous transaction mode DAMC acted as the lead agency. But the new system entrusts the gewog administration to take care of the cordyceps transaction.

The new system also makes the gewog administration responsible in helping maintain the sustainability of cordyceps harvesting by ensuring compliance of the Community-based Natural Resources Management Rules.

The sale of the fungi will be restricted to the buyers registered with DAMC. The buyers will have to register with DAMC by depositing security money of Nu 500,000. The cordyceps market is expected to become open in future.

In the last cordyceps season there were about 28 buyers registered with the DAMC. “Before, there was no requirement for security deposits, so anyone with a trade licence could participate,” said officials at the workshop.

It was made known at the workshop that the agriculture and forests ministry is exploring possibility to impose royalty on the cordyceps collectors.  Some participants said they should not be made to pay royalty.

According to the agriculture ministry, the royalty collection on cordyceps business for this year will be maintained as before. The exporters will pay the royalty of Nu 7,000 or 10 percent of the buying price a kg of cordyceps, or whichever is less.

It was also decided that cordycep buyers/exporters will file Business Income Tax (BIT) in line with fiscal incentives and other taxation policies for 2010. And the royalty will be deductable.

The buyers and exporters said they have not been informed earlier.

Other issues discussed at the workshop were security and patrolling involved in cordyceps business. Participants said security and patrolling services are available only during the stipulated harvesting time. They said it encourages illegal harvests.

Therefore, the participants suggested that security be provided both before and after the harvest time.

Meanwhile, DoFPS will be following up with other agencies concerned on allowing the people of Khamay Gewog under Gasa Dzongkhag to collect cordyceps from this year.

Earlier, only highlanders depending on livestock were allowed to participate in the cordyceps business. The DoFPs officials say there are communities in lower areas that also depend on livestock.  “That is why the government is considering allowing those communities to engage in cordyceps business as well,” said a DoFPS official.

Last year, cordyceps trade generated a total income of Nu 89 million for farmers of 13 gewogs from Bumthang, Wangdue, Gasa, Trashiyangtse, Thimphu, and Paro. The farmers sold a total of 550.652 kg.

Although Bumthang and Wangdue Dzongkhags had the highest number of gewogs participating in cordyceps auction, Gasa Dzongkhag had the highest sales and revenue generation followed by Thimphu and Wangdue.

Gasa sold 141.718 kg of cordyceps worth Nu 33.49 million while Thimphu sold 106.307 kg worth Nu 30.23 million and Wangdue sold 237.713 kg worth Nu 10.17 million.

The workshop was held in the capital this week.

Auction record, 2010

By Pushkar Chhetri

10 Responses to “Easing cordyceps business”

1. H.THANGNGIL says:

   July 29, 2011 at 10:51 pm

   Sir i am from India. i want to sell cordyceps. what are the different grade you are dealing with. what are your prices ? hope to hear you soon. Thanks. H. THANGNGIL

   Reply
2. Tenzin dorji says:

   August 13, 2011 at 11:12 pm

   we buy many type of quality of cordyceps,let me know through my e mail

   Reply
   • H.THANGNGIL says:

     August 28, 2011 at 8:45 pm

     Sir how can i sent few cordyceps to you for your kind verification. H. THANGNGIL

     Reply
   • jayashreevarshni says:

     August 30, 2011 at 9:49 pm

     mr.thangngil i need good quality cordyceps if u have with u pls contact me as iam in need of 25kgs. my mobile no.09262088465

     Reply
3. jayashreevarshni says:

   August 30, 2011 at 9:51 pm

   mr.thangngil my email id is nmjayashree17@sify.com you can send your quotation and contact no.

   jayashreevarshni

   Reply
4. jayashree says:

   August 31, 2011 at 7:05 am

   iam in need of cordyceps iam from india pls contact me

   Reply
5. jayashree says:

   August 31, 2011 at 4:57 pm

   mr.thangngil which part of india r u from.pls contact me.

   regds,
   jayashree

   Reply
6. jayashree says:

   September 2, 2011 at 10:12 pm

   anyone enquiring must give email or contact number only then if there is an opportunity they can avail.
   jayashree

   Reply
7. sakthi says:

   September 6, 2011 at 6:34 pm

   iam having cordyceps anyone interested pls contact me.

   sakthi

   Reply
8. Tshering says:

   May 17, 2012 at 6:40 pm

   Anyone interested in cordyceps, contact me through mail

   Reply