The Yarsagumba harvesting season, which usually begins after the second week of Baisakh (late April to early May), continues until the end of Asar (mid-July). Collection permits are issued in various parts of Manang after consulting auspicious timing and proper planning.
The highly valuable medicinal herb, Yarsagumba, has become a new pillar of prosperity for Manang. According to Yad Ghale, Chairperson of Ward No. 8 of Nasong Rural Municipality and the Conservation Area Management Committee, this season’s first Yarsagumba collection has started from the Namgya Lek of Nasong.
Residents of Manang have started obtaining permits to collect Yarsagumba and other medicinal herbs from the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) office in Manang. This is in accordance with the Conservation Area Management Regulations 2053 BS (1996 AD), Conservation Management Directives 2056 BS (1999 AD), the 2080 BS (2023 AD) Yarsagumba Management (Collection and Transportation) Directives for national parks, reserves, conservation areas, and buffer zones in Himalayan regions, and other prevailing laws.
Only after acquiring this permission does the Conservation Area Management Committee issue individual collection permits to collectors. Learning from past incidents, necessary security arrangements have been made, as stated by the Manang District Administration Office. With the collection season now underway, security has been tightened, according to Chief District Officer Matruka Acharya, who mentioned that preventive measures have been taken to avoid any untoward incidents.
Dhak Bahadur Bhujel, head of the ACAP Area Conservation Office in Manang, stated that the authority to permit or deny Yarsagumba collection in Manang’s forest areas lies solely with the respective Conservation Area Management Committees. Only after receiving official approval from the ACAP Area Office-led management committee can collectors proceed to the highlands. In Namgya Lek, collection permission is granted not only to locals but also to individuals from outside districts.
People from neighboring districts like Gorkha and Lamjung also come to Manang to collect Yarsagumba. However, Konjo Tenjing Lama, Chairperson of Narpa Bhumi Rural Municipality, informed that the collection season has not yet started in Narpa Bhumi. He also stated that individuals from other districts are prohibited from collecting Yarsagumba in his municipality due to security concerns, as both Nar and Phu areas are protected and restricted zones.
Buyers from within the district are charged a fee of NPR 20,000, while those from outside the district must pay NPR 40,000 to the Conservation Area Management Committee. Collectors are allowed to head toward the highlands only after paying NPR 35,000 and receiving the official collection permit.
Yarsagumba is found in all highlands of Manang except for Dharapani and Thonche. It is most abundantly found in areas such as Namgya Lek, Kincho Lek, Yak Lek, Pisang Lek, Phu Lek, Manang Lek, Ice Lek, Syakyu Lek, and Thorong La Lek.
