Yarsagumba harvest season less than three weeks away

Dolpa : The annual Yarsagumba harvest season will officially start in Himalyan district of Dolpa from May 15. According to Shey Phoksundo National Park, the permit letters will be distributed for stipulated amount for entry inside the Yarsagumba Patan sector located within the park for picking the precious summer plant cum winter bug.

Park's Conservation Official, Ramdev Chaudhary, said this year the entrance to the sector would open a week earlier compared to the last year. Chaudhary added that the park and buffer zone staff will be sent to various transit points to sell the entry tickets for those waiting for Yarsagumba picking season to start.

Three differently types of permits will be distributed which include Rs 1000 ticket for public within the buffer zone areas, Rs 2500 for people outside the buffer zone and Rs 3500 for people outside the district. Thousands of people arrive in Dolpa's Yarsagumba Patan sector from Rukum, Jajarkot and Salyan among other districts to collect the precious herb found at an altitude ranging from 3000 metres to 4000 metres above sea level.

The Park said that the permits will be distributed for only a month once the collection season starts. The invaluable herb has been a major source of income for the people in Dolpa. (RSS)