This season’s cordyceps auction at Lunana Gewog in Gasa turned out to be a disappointment for the buyers. The auction for the priced fungus held, yesterday, at Goen Damji saw only seven sellers for seventeen buyers.
Local bidders from different districts have gathered for the auction expecting a good amount of cordyceps.
The bidders consider cordyceps from Lunana to be of good quality compared to cordyceps growing in other parts of the country.
However, the auction fell far too short of their expectations. Some bidders say the maximum amount of cordyceps they could buy at this time’s auction was only 31 grammes with some of them having to return with only 10 to 15 grammes from the auction.
They say the quantity of cordyceps at Lunana has drastically reduced this year. The sellers brought only close to 800 grammes of cordyceps for the auction this time. Of it, the Lunaps sold a little over 600 grammes and took home the remaining cordyceps as they could not fetch the expected price.
“Cordyceps trading is a very popular business in the country. That’s why we came for the auction by adjusting money from others even when we don’t have enough ourselves. But it is disappointing when there is no cordyceps at the auction. It’s a huge loss and a waste of expenditure. As we have to respect individual decisions, we cannot even ask the sellers to bring all the cordeyceps they have for the auction. Almost everyone is disappointed,” said Dophu, a buyer from Dangchu Gewog.
“Everyone takes the trouble of travelling from faraway districts driving our own cars which is risky during summer. But when there are no cordyceps at the auction, it’s a huge disappointment. Buyers could buy only up to 30 grammes of cordyceps today. So, I didn’t get the opportunity to buy,” said Kezang Wangdi, another buyer from Bumdeling Gewog.
“The auction was not what I expected it to be since there aren’t enough sellers. It’s a loss for me as I have come from Bumthang with huge expectations. But when we reached here, there are only five sellers. Therefore, it is a loss for us buyers, and even for the gewog, police and other officials involved,” said Ngawang, who is a buyer from Bumthang.
Disappointed with the less turnover of sellers at the auction, cordyceps buyers say it is better to revoke cordyceps auction system if there is no production from the source or if the collectors do not wish to bring the fungus for auction.
“If this is the situation, officials should see if auction in places where people do not bring their cordyceps should be canceled from next year. It is a waste of time for the buyers and waste of resources for officials. More than twenty officials are paid by the government to coordinate the auction,” added Dophu, buyer.
“In my opinion, it will be better if the auction can be held in one gewog of each cordyceps growing district. For instance, an auction in Sephu Gewog, one in Bumthang, one in Gasa and one in Thimphu would help reduce the expenditure of officials and also benefit buyers,” said Mani Chogyel, who is also a buyer from Dangchu Gewog.
Lunana Gup Kaka said the yield of cordyceps decreased from the source itself this year. He added that some of the cordyceps collectors sell the fungus themselves at Khuruthang in Punakha after obtaining permits from the concerned authority.
“Buyers are sending their people to our village directly and buying around 30 per cent of cordyceps from our village itself. Around 40 per cent of the cordyceps harvest is brought to the auction. However, at the auction, the buyers collude among themselves and drastically lower the prices which is discouraging the sellers to sell their cordyceps at auctions. This is why collectors do not bring the cordyceps for auction.”
At the auction, the highest price the cordyceps fetched this time was more than Nu 1.7 M per kilogramme and the lowest was Nu 615,000.
The Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock facilitate the cordyceps auctions by coordinating with park officials and gewog administrations.
According to the officials, the overall quality of cordyceps from Lunana is good this year.
Changa Dorji, Gasa
Edited by Phub Gyem
