The Yarchagumba picking season generally begins from the end of May and lasts till the end of June.
Hundreds of people from mountainous districts like Darchula, Jumla and Bajhang, be they children, youth or elderly, make their way to highlands to collect the caterpillar fungus.
In general, children also accompany their parents to help them with the harvest, skipping their classes, often forcing many schools shut during the season.
Deaths of yarcha collectors have also been reported in avalanche and due to excessive cold and incidents of robbery of harvested yarcha have also been reported as the herb is costlier and valued as herbal remedy.
Chief Conservation Officer at the Api Nampa Conservation Area Bhumiraj Upadhyay said that they started distributing permit to collect yarcha from May 14 by charging certain amounts.
He said that each local resident is charged Rs 500 to pick yarcha while the charge is set at Rs 1,000 each for the people within from the respective district.
Likewise, those people from outside the respective district will be charged Rs 2,000 each.
He said that he received the information that 500 yarcha pickers received the picking pass so far.
Highlands in Darchula like Ghusa, Khandeshwori, Titala, Guljar, Byas and Rapla and in Kanda, Dhamena, Sunikot, Dawachaur, Dahabagar and Surma VDCs in Bajhang are the spots where people throng for picking the lucrative herb.
The District Forest Office, Bajhang said that local people have started making their way to highlands to collect yarcha this year.
Meanwhile, authorities concerned said that production of yarcha is on the decline every year due to climate change.
Last year 8.5 quintals of yarcha were collected from Darchula district alone, according to available data. RSS
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